Home for the Holidays
by MadameRozaBelikova
Summary: Rose is engaged to one of the most eligible bachelors in New York, Adrian Ivashkov. He's the heir to one of the top fortune five hundred companies and she's a model who's career has just taken off, but before she can say I do, she has to take care of some business back in her hometown of Baia in the form of her childhood sweetheart, Dimitri Belikov to whom she is still married.
1. Chapter 1: Going Home

**Chapter 1: Going Home**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy. This story is intended for fanfiction and entertainment purposes only. No monitary gain or copyright infringement intended. **

**So this is my new story. Please know that I am still going through a rough time and I will try to update as much as possible, but if a week passes without an update just know that I have every intention of finishing this story and I never leave my VA fans hanging. Enjoy=)**

RPOV

It had been seven years since I'd set foot in my hometown of Baia, Russia. Seven years in which I'd done everything in my power to forget my sordid past and create a bright and happy future for myself. A future that did not include my former bad habits, my overprotective father and most importantly my soon to be ex-husband Dimitri Belikov.

I sighed as I looked out the window of the plane. We were about to make our decent and my stomach was full of butterflies. I'd spent the past seven years building a life for myself in New York City. I'd made new friends. I'd made a name for myself as one of the top runway models, having worked my way onto the cover of Vogue, Allure and Glamour and had just signed a deal to be the new cover girl for Chanel. Things in my life couldn't have been more perfect. I had everything I'd ever dreamed of and I was on top of the world when my boyfriend proposed to me last week.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Where are we going? I thought you said this party was uptown?" I asked checking my make up in the mirror as we drove down fifth avenue. **_

"_**We have to make a stop first," he said squeezing my hand over the consol. **_

_**I held my breath nervously as we cut down the back alleyway of a dark street. I was beginning to wonder what the hell was up with him tonight. He hated places like this and always insisted we stick to the well lit sidewalks. **_

"_**Seriously Adrian, I'm beginning to freak out," I hissed. The only sounds I could hear were my heels clacking on the pavement as he pulled me along with him.**_

"_**Relax babe, we're almost there," he assured me. He stopped a few seconds later causing me to run into him.**_

"_**Close your eyes," he instructed, placing his hands over my eyes as he moved me so I was standing in front of him.**_

_**He helped me walk forward slowly and I could feel the cool December wind whipping through my long hair which was becoming more and more tousled as we continued to walk. **_

"_**Okay, you can open them," he said removing his hands.**_

_**I gasped at the view in front of me. We were in front of the huge Christmas tree at Rockefeller center and in front of it was the entire cast of the Radio City Rockets. They were all dressed up and each was holding a letter lit up in bright lights. All together they spelled out Rose, will you marry me?**_

_**I nearly fell to my knees I was so shocked. We'd only been dating for ten months. I looked down in front of me where Adrian had sunk down on one knee. His beautiful green eyes were sparkling with excitement as he held out a small black velvet box with a huge diamond nestled inside. **_

"_**So what do you say Rosemarie Hathaway? Will you marry me?" he asked.**_

_**I nodded my head mechanically too stunned for actual speech. **_

"_**Is that a yes?" he questioned. **_

"_**Yes," I managed to squeak holding out my left hand. He placed the exquisitely beautiful ring on my shaky finger and pulled himself to his feet. **_

"_**Today is the best day of my life," he breathed pulling me in for a very sensual kiss. **_

"_**Hey hey we're in public now, come up for air," my best friend Mia called wolf whistling at us. **_

_**We broke apart guiltily and I saw that all of our friends were gathered around us with glasses of champagne. **_

"_**Here's to the happy couple," Eddie called out handing us both a glass. Eddie was Adrian's business partner and a good friend of ours. **_

"_**You are amazing," I told my new fiancé as we celebrated our engagement with our friends. As it turned out Adrian had rented out the space and had a tent set up on the other side of the tree so we could stay warm. It was decorated with white lights and beautiful poinsettias adorned the tables. He had our favorite restaurant cater and it was the perfect evening. I couldn't have asked for a more romantic proposal and I couldn't wait to have a beautiful wedding and a wonderful life together. **_

_**I was high on excitement and enjoyed the evening, but in the wee hours of the morning after we'd made love in the apartment we shared, reality came crashing down on me and I realized that marrying Adrian was going to be a lot more difficult that I'd imagined seeing is that I was technically still married to my childhood sweetheart back in Baia. **_

_**End Flashback**_

Adrian didn't even know I lived in Russia or that I was Turkish and he definitely didn't know I was married much less at the age of eighteen to my childhood sweetheart.

So here I sat on a plane descending in to the town I'd vowed never to set foot in again. I cursed Dimitri for making me do this. I'd sent him numerous sets of divorce papers over the years only to have them sent back to me unsigned. I didn't know what his problem was? We'd been separated for nearly seven years and the stubborn ass still refused to give me a divorce. This time would be different though. If he thought for one minute I was going to let him ruin my life for the second time, he had another thing coming. I wasn't that naïve little seventeen year old girl anymore. I was Rose Hathaway and I was determined to be in and out of Baia in less than twenty-four hours, signed divorce papers in hand.

Of course nothing in my life ever goes as planned and I'd forgotten just how bitter cold it could get in Siberia in the winter. It was only the first week of December, but the snow was two feet deep on some places and I'd stupidly attempted to drive my rental car through the snow covered streets and was now stuck. I was only five miles outside of Baia and I again cursed Dimitri as my tires spun in the snow. This was all his fault. If he had just signed the papers, I wouldn't be in this mess.

My phone rang for the third time tonight and I knew I had to answer it this time or he would begin to get suspicious.

"Hey Adrian," I said trying to sound cheery in the midst of my current dilemma.

"Where are you? You sound like you're a million miles away," he asked. I hadn't exactly told him where I was going. I just told him I was out of town on a trip for work and being the loving, trusting man he was, he hadn't questioned me further.

"Nowhere special, just doing some last minute hair and make-up before the shoot," I lied. I hadn't wanted him to find out I had lied when I told him my parents were dead and I was from Chicago. I was hoping to secure the divorce without him ever having to know. The only person who knew where I was really going and why was my good friend Sydney Sage. She and I had shared a small flat for a few years when I'd first moved to New York and I'd confided in her my entire history back home including the entire Dimitri drama.

"I miss you. How long did you say you'd be gone?" he asked. He was really adorable when he said things like that.

"Just a few days, possibly a week if the shots don't turn out," I told him, hoping I wouldn't be here more than a day or two at most, but with the looks of the weather that was highly doubtful.

"Well hurry home. It's not the same without you in our apartment."

"I know. I miss you too," I told him.

"Rose, I love you," he said making me want to cry for being so deceitful.

"I love you too," I whispered before hanging up.

I slumped my head over the wheel of the car trying to figure out what to do when there was a loud thumping on my window. I screamed bloody murder until I realized that I saw flashing lights on a huge pick-up truck with a snow shovel attached to the front.

"You look like you're in need of assistance miss," a man said. I could barely make out his figure in the blowing snow, but he sounded vaguely familiar.

"Christian Ozera?" I asked as I allowed him to lead me to the police vehicle.

"Well I'll be damned if it isn't Rosemarie Mazur," he cried out in astonishment.

"What brings you back to these parts?" he asked as we settled into the warm cab of his truck.

I shrugged. "You know why I'm here," I told him.

"Still won't sign them huh?" he asked. I think the entire town knew that I'd been seeking a divorce for the past seven years and that Dimitri had been fighting me at every turn.

"I don't see why you two called it quits in the first place. There've never been two people more suited for each other."

"No one asked your opinion Sparky," I muttered as we began to drive.

"Where am I dropping you?" he asked.

"Dimitri's," I told him not wanting to have a run in with my father while I was in town.

"You really aren't going to stop home?" he asked.

I shook my head. "This isn't a social call."

"While that might be true, you've got a father and a brother whom you haven't seen in seven years. I think they'd appreciate knowing you were in town."

"Please just drive me to Dimitri's," I growled not wanting his unsolicited advice.

"How'd you get to be the Sheriff anyways?" I asked chuckling at the sight of his badge.

"Some people change Rosie," he said smiling sadly at me.

"Not around here they don't," I muttered.

We pulled up in front of what used to be a dilapidated old shack that Dimitri and I had shared during our brief time as a married couple, only it didn't look quite the same as it had the day I'd left.

"What did he do fix it up?" I asked.

"Yup, did the work himself. The man has some skills in that department. He's helped build quite a bit in this town since you left."

I sighed grabbing my overnight back from the cab.

"You want me to wait?" he asked.

"No that's okay, I think I can manage," I told him.

It was already getting dark and although I didn't relish the idea of staying the night with him, I could always call a taxi to take me to the old rundown motel on route twenty-three when it was over.

I glanced down at my knee-high suede boots annoyed at myself for not remembering to wear flats.

"Damn stupid arctic wasteland," I growled as I dragged myself through the unplowed driveway to get up the front steps that also hadn't been plowed.

I was breathless as I set my bag down on the snow covered porch swing. I had just about worked up the nerve to pound on the door when I heard snow crunching around the side of the house.

"Can I help you miss? It isn't good weather to be out here selling things."

Be still my heart, the man's voice still sent chills running up my spine after all these years. I turned around adjusting my hat and scarf taking in the vision that was my gorgeous albeit frustrating as hell six foot seven muscular Russian husband. He was of course wearing jeans and a winter coat, but as usual was too stubborn to put on a hat, gloves or a scarf.

"Sure, you can help me. Sign these damn divorce papers and I can be on my merry way," I called in English not wanting to give him the satisfaction of speaking in his native tongue. I was originally from Istanbul and moved here when I was six. At home we spoke Turkish and I only used Russian with him and at school. In New York, I stuck mainly to English, but I'd been told by my fiancé that I mumble in strange tongues in my sleep.

His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he set down the shovel he was holding and came closer to me.

"Roza?" he asked calling me by the pet name he'd given me the first day of Kindergarden.

"Of couse it's me, you ass, unless you have some other wife out there somewhere in which case there's no reason to keep refusing to sign these papers."

"Well well living in the states has done wonders for you. You must have lost what twenty pounds," he said smirking at me as his eyes perused my body.

"You're such a pig, Dimitri, now sign these so I can call a cab and get the hell out of this God forsaken town."

"You come all the way here on what was probably an eighteen hour flight, you most likely haven't notified anyone else you're in town and you want me to stand out here in the freezing cold weather and sign divorce papers while the snow is blinding us. You are unbelievable," he snorted.

"Oh come on, just sign them and you'll never have to see me again. I promise," I said trying to entice him to give me what I wanted so I could get on with my life.

"Look it's freezing out here. Come inside and I'll have a look at them," he said grabbing my bag and opening the front door.

I sighed heavily, but followed him inside.

I wasn't prepared for the barrage of memories that hit me as I entered what had been my home for a very short time. I swallowed back tears as I took in the photos on the mantle of the fireplace. One was of the two of us as children. We were playing on the jungle gym on the playground. Another was one of us with all our friends after homecoming Junior year and the last was one of us at senior prom. Why he still had any of them was beyond me. I hadn't kept any momentos from my youth. I left them all behind at my father's house the day I left and hadn't looked back.

His eyes flashed to me and then to the mantle. He smiled slightly and set my bag down on the couch. Seven years and nothing in the room had changed except that now instead of a small thirteen inch tv vcr combo there was a large flat screen television with a dvd player.

"I see you haven't changed anything," I said rolling my eyes.

"Not all change is good Roza," he responded.

"Whatever, can you just sign these?" I asked trying not to let him know how desperate I was. As much as I didn't want to be nice to him, I also didn't want to rub the news of my engagement in his face either. It was my hope that if I kept things civil, I would be out of here and on my way back to Adrian and my friends a whole lot faster.

"You seriously came all the way here just for that?" he asked incredulously.

"Well it isn't as if you gave me a choice," I said raising my voice.

"I thought that you would have got the message by now," he said. "I thought someone as bright as you would have figured it out."

"Figured what out? That you're a stubborn ass? Don't worry, the whole world knows," I shouted. He was really beginning to piss me off now.

"You can get a change of scenery, but deep down, you're still the same," he said looking me in the eye.

"I am absolutely not the same," I argued.

"I didn't settle for this small town, where I'd be trapped with nothing to do but wait around for you to come home from your stupid job at the factory. Instead, I live my life. I go out, I see people and I have friends. This town is poison and I won't stay here long enough to let it suck me back in again."

"Oh that would be the worst thing in the world for you wouldn't it? If you stayed and had dinner with your family or if you spent some time with the people you used to call friends before you up and abandoned them for the prestige of living in New York."

"Don't even pretend you know what my life is like now. You don't know anything about me," I cried. How dare he presume to know what my life was like?

"Oh, I don't? I know you're only here because you can't start planning your over the top wedding to your high society, rich fiancé Adrian Ivashkov until I sign those papers," he bit out.

I reeled back, stunned at his accusation.

"How do you know about that?" I asked.

"I may live in Siberia, but we do get the news here. You're all over the newspapers," he spat tossing a copy of the New York Times on the table. I let out a breath wondering how I was going to get him to sign the papers now that he knew the reason behind my urgency. If he wanted to be stubborn and make my life miserable, which I was convinced was his entire reason for existing, he could refuse and I'd be in deep shit.

**Tell me what you think and if you want more. Can you guess what movie this is based off of? **


	2. Chapter 2: Polygamy is Illegal in NYC

**Chapter 2: Polygamy is Illegal in New York**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**To answer a few questions **

**Yes this is based "loosely" off of Sweet Home Alabama (There will be noticeable differences)**

**I do realized that Rose is only 5ft 7 which is a little short for a model, but hey I'm 5ft 1 she's a giant to me=)**

**A lot of you want to know if this is a DimitriXRose story. All I have to say is that most of you who have read my other stories know how I feel about that subject and probably have a clue, but if you haven't you'll just have to wait and see=)**

DPOV

I sighed and wiped the sweat from my brow as I pulled my hand out from underneath the snow blower. It wouldn't start and of course that would happen on a day when there was two feet of snow on the ground and it was still coming down in piles.

I trudged down the driveway towards the front of the house and was just about to dig out my truck so I could go to the hardware store when I noticed a young girl standing on my porch.

"Can I help you miss? It isn't good weather to be out here selling things." Some solicitors were relentless. She was crazy to be out in this weather. She turned her head towards me and adjusted her hat and scarf. It was difficult to make out what her face looked like through the pelting snow, but judging from her smoking hot figure, she had to be a looker.

"Sure, you can help me. Sign these damn divorce papers and I can be on my merry way," she called to me in English. My eyes nearly fell out of my head as I did a double take as her voice registered in my ears.

"Roza?" I questioned dropping the shovel I was holding and moving towards her to make sure my ears weren't deceiving me. I hadn't seen her this up close since the day she left me. Despite her snotty comments, seeing her up close after all this time made my heart ache. She was just as beautiful as she ever was and I cursed myself for letting my anger get the best of me and making a snide comment about her weight.

I knew why she was here and it was part of the reason I was in such a foul mood this week and sitting at home sulking while my family was all together at my mother's house having Saturday dinner and decorating the house.

Ivan had come over last week holding a newspaper, telling me to brace myself. I'd rolled my eyes and snatched the paper out of his hands.

_**Flashback**_

"_**D, there's something I have to tell you, but before I do, you have to promise not to put your fist through the wall or kill the messenger." **_

_**I looked at my best friend and raised my eyebrow at him. Whatever it was he was going to tell me must be pretty bad to have him shaking in his boots. **_

"_**Just tell me already. I'm sure whatever it is will hardly be shocking." It took a lot to get a rise out of me these days and I was pretty sure that whatever it was, that he was blowing it out of proportion. He had a tendency to be overdramatic. **_

"_**Dude,seriously you might want to sit down," he warned.**_

_**I opened the paper to the page he'd dog eared and it was like a bullet straight through my heart as I saw the love of my life, my childhood sweetheart and most importantly, the woman I was still married to staring back at me from the society column. Some guy was draped all over her and she was wearing an enormous diamond ring. The headline read, top New York supermodel Rose Hathaway to wed heir to Ivashkov Industries Adrian Ivashkov. **_

"_**D, are you okay?" Ivan asked waving his hand in front of my face.**_

"_**I'm fine," I told him doing my best to shrug it off. I put the paper down on the table and went over to the cabinet where I kept the good vodka. **_

"_**D, I'm sorry. I know you thought she was going to come back someday, but I think you need to let her go." **_

"_**No," I told him throwing back a shot. **_

"_**Dude, she's marrying someone else," he pointed out.**_

"_**No she isn't," I growled. **_

"_**It says so right here. How are you so sure she won't go through with it?" he asked. **_

"_**Because last time I checked polygamy was still illegal in the state of New York," I said smirking. **_

"_**What, she's marrying two guys?" he asked snatching the paper off the table. **_

"_**No you moron. She can't marry him, because legally she's still married to me." **_

"_**How? I thought you guys took care of that years ago." **_

"_**I may or may not have refused to sign the papers six or so times," I said pouring myself another shot.**_

"_**Dude, that's messed up," he said sitting down on the sofa. **_

"_**I know," I said fully realizing that I was insane to think that after seven years, I had any hope of her coming back to me, but damn it, I still loved her. I probably always would. She was my first love and no matter how many times I tried to get her out of my mind and out of my heart, I just couldn't. **_

_**She had a hold on me that no one else ever would and no matter how many meaningless dates I went on or how many times I'd brought a woman home just to realize I couldn't make love to another woman in the bed I shared with Rose. Nothing would erase her from my memory. **_

_**I could still smell the scent of her long gorgeous locks freshly washed from the shower. I could still feel her body writhe beneath mine as we made love on a blanket by the lake. I could still feel the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she slept comfortably wrapped up in my arms. **_

"_**She's going to hunt you down and kill you, you know," he said bringing me out of my reverie. **_

"_**What do you mean?" **_

"_**Well don't be surprised if she comes in here one day with a shot gun and holds your head under water until you sign those papers." **_

_**He was right and I knew it. My sexy little wife had a very hot temper and I was so looking forward to her ripping me a new one. Who was I kidding though? She would never come here. She hated me. She made that crystal clear the day she left me. No, she wouldn't come here, she'd have some hot shot lawyer do her dirty work for her now that she was famous. **_

_**End Flashback**_

I finally managed to coax her inside out of the cold only to blow up at her when she pushed me to sign the papers.

"Look, you knew it was going to happen someday. One of us was going to meet someone," she said her voice softening. I ignored her comment purposely not wanting to admit to her that I hadn't been able to make love to anyone since she left.

"Look, it's dinnertime, why don't we eat something and then we can talk about this," I suggested hoping that she'd agree to have dinner with me. I just needed to show her that I was better than I was before. I needed to prove that I could take care of her and be there for her this time. I just needed her to give me a chance and that wouldn't happen if I signed those papers tonight.

"Promise?" she questioned, her hands on her hips.

"Of course," I lied crossing my fingers behind my back.

"Fine," she agreed.

"Why don't you go wash up. You're hair looks like hell," I said knowing it would rattle her. "Don't worry, I know what you like," I said having stocked the house a few days ago with all her favorite foods just in case she decided not to send the lawyer and now I was glad I thought to do it.

She gave me a dirty look, but headed towards the bathroom. "I doubt it," she muttered under her breath.

She came back twenty minutes later her hair perfectly in place with a new coat of freshly applied gloss on her sensuous lips. I couldn't help but notice how different she looked from the seventeen year old version I'd known and loved.

Her hair was still long and mostly dark, but there were sporadic honey brown high lights and she had thick bangs that fell sexily over one of her beautiful brown eyes. I wasn't poking fun when I said she'd lost twenty pounds. She looked like a skeleton. All those stupid models did. Maybe it was the beast in me, but I preferred her with a little meat on her bones. I ached to feel her soft skin under my hands, not that she'd give me the chance to touch her after what had happened between us.

"Stop staring at me like that, you're going to cut your hand off," she said snapping me back to reality.

"I wasn't staring," I grumbled.

"Oh please, don't even try to deny it."

"Fine, I won't. Sit, I'll bring you a plate," I told her pulling out a chair.

She complied with a huff. I finished what I was doing and placed a glass of Riesling in front of her and then a plate with her favorite tacos and rice.

I set down another plate and glass of wine and took a seat across from her.

"What's the matter? They're your favorite," I asked after noticing she hadn't touched her food.

She looked down at her plate and then up at me.

"They used to be," she said softly.

My face fell. "You don't like them?" I asked.

"No, it's not that," she said.

"Then what?"

"I'm a vegan," she responded.

Maybe my English was a little rusty or maybe I was just dumb, but I had no idea what a vegan was. She must have sensed my confusion.

"I don't eat meat or any other product that comes from an animal," she explained. I nearly dropped my fork at her admission.

"You, the girl who ate a pound of bacon for breakfast and loves leather boots don't eat animal products?" I asked not quite believing what I was hearing.

"I haven't in five years," she said in an even tone pushing her plate away from her. "I told you, you don't know anything about me." She picked up her glass of wine taking a sip. At least I'd gotten that right.

"Don't stop on my account. Finish your dinner," she said scraping the food from her plate onto mine just the way she'd always done only usually it was vegetables she didn't like.

"I can fix you something else. I have uh carrots," I said lamely searching the refrigerator for anything else that was animal product free.

"Don't worry about it. I'm not staying. I can get something later. If you could just sign the papers then I could get back home," she said causing the hole she'd left in my heart to tear more and more each time she asked me to end our marriage.

"You agreed to stay for dinner," I said trying not to sound as upset as I was.

"You never had any intention of sighing them did you?" she asked shaking her head. "This was all a ruse to get me to stay. Dimitri why can't you just let go? I'm getting married, for real this time whether you like it or not."

"For real?" I growled. "You think that what we had wasn't real? What part of until death do us part did you not think was real? It was real for me!" I cried slamming my fist down on the table.

She flinched, but didn't back down.

"Right, like it was my choice to get married at seventeen. That wasn't what I wanted for my life. I would have been miserable if I stayed here."

"Roza please, that isn't true. I could have made you happy. We were happy, you loved me,"I pleaded.

"We were young. We didn't know what love was. You need to move on. It isn't healthy to live in the past," she said grabbing her bag and heading for the door.

"Where are you going? It's a blizzard out there," I said jumping to my feet.

"I can't stay here with you. You're poison," she cried wretching the door open.

"How are you going to get anywhere?"

"I'll walk," she stated.

"In those?" I asked pointing to her impossible choice in footwear.

"Whatever, you're going to sign those papers and if you don't so help me you're going to regret it," she threatened slamming the door behind her.

"Damn it!" I cursed shoving my chair under the table. I had her right here in the house and I let her walk right out the door, just like the last time.

My phone began to buzz in my pocket and I sighed as my mother's number appeared on the screen. I hit ignore and went to get my coat.

"Stop following me," she shouted as I caught up with her quickly. She of course was having difficulty navigating her way through the snow in her fancy boots.

"Come back to the house you're going to freeze out here."

"So what. It beats being in there with someone who's making my life miserable."

"I'm not trying to make your life miserable."

"Then sign the papers," she cried spinning around to face me.

"No," I said forcefully.

"Why?" she demanded.

"Because I still love you," I said pulling her into my arms covering her lips with my own kissing her with all the passion I could muster.

"What the hell are you doing?" she sputtered pulling away from me so quickly she tumbled backwards into a snowdrift.

"Tell me you didn't feel anything," I challenged.

"Of course I felt something," she said. My heart swelled waiting for her to admit she still loved me.

"I felt you sexually assaulting me!" she accused.

"What? I can't believe you just said that," I cried.

"Well it's what happened. I didn't ask you to kiss me."

"Whatever you say. It's always whatever you say. I should just leave you out here."

"Fine. I don't care," she cried trying to stand up, failing miserably as she slid all over the icy ground.

"Give me your hand," I said holding mine out for her.

"I'd rather freeze to death," she refused crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why are you always so stubborn?"

"Me stubborn? You're the one who sent the divorce papers back unsigned six times,"she fired back.

"I told you. I don't want a divorce!"

"Well I do!"

"You're coming back to the house with me," I told her in no mood to stand out here and continue arguing.

"I will not!"

"Roza, don't make me carry you."

"Don't you dare," she cried her eyes widening.

"You leave me no choice," I said scooping her up into my arms and slinging her over my shoulder.

"Put me down," she cried beating her hands against my legs.

"Not until we are home," I said grabbing her bag and heading back towards the house.

"I hate you!" she screamed still trying to wiggle out of my ironclad grasp.

"What wife doesn't hate her husband at some point?" I asked chuckling.

"You are not my husband!" she shouted as I set her down safely inside the house.

"Yes I am," I told her.

"Now sit down and I'm going to find something you can eat. You can't afford to skip meals with that skinny ass of yours."

"Don't trouble yourself. I'm calling a cab," she said whipping her fancy cell phone out of her designer purse.

"Go right ahead," I said smugly knowing that no cab company was running in this weather.

I walked into the kitchen and googled things that vegans eat and came up with not a whole lot. I grabbed a frying pan threw some mushrooms, green peppers, pea pods and onions into the pan. I set up a pot for some rice. Just as the rice was finishing I heard her scream in exasperation.

"What do you mean you can't pick me up?" she shouted in Russian. She hadn't bothered to use it with me knowing full well I hated it when she spoke to me in English.

I smirked as I put the finishing touches on her meal before pouring her another glass of wine in hopes that she would calm herself a little.

"Let me borrow your truck," she said as I entered the living room.

"If you think I'm letting you drive in this weather, you're more insane than I thought," I said placing the plate in front of her.

"Completely safe for a vegan, I promise," I told her. She looked at the plate in disgust.

"Why are you trying so hard? I told you, I want a divorce," she reiterated.

"I get that, but I can't let you starve," I told her.

"Fine, but don't take this as a sign that I'm forgiving you. I'm starving and that's all. You got it?"

"I got it," I said leaving her to eat.

**Uh oh! Trouble in Paradise. Any thoughts on why they got married or why they got divorced? This is not an exact replica of Sweet Home Alabama so there will be twists as I want to keep all of you interested. I hope you enjoy. I was stunned by the amount of people who reviewed my first chapter. Keep it up and I will post Chapter three by the end of the weekend=)**


	3. Chapter 3: Fighting Dirty

**Chapter 3: Fighting Dirty**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**RPOV**

"Look, you can stay here tonight and I will drive you over to your father's in the morning," he said.

"Oh no, I am not going there," I argued. I had no intention of him giving me hell for not visiting and refusing to call or write for the past seven years.

"Rose, you are impossible. Your father has been worried sick about you for seven years and you don't even think you owe him the courtesy to let him know you're in town. Not to mention your poor brother."

I rolled my eyes. "If they really wanted to see me, they knew where I was. Baba has unlimited funds. Tell me he couldn't afford a plane ticket to New York."

"That would be up to them to explain, just like it's up to you to explain why you high tailed it out of town without so much as a goodbye," he said shaking his head.

"I said goodbye," I argued.

"To me maybe, but that's only because I caught you packing your things. That really hurt Rose. Were you even going to leave me a note?" His voice was thick with emotion and his face was marred with pain.

"It was a long time ago. Does it really matter?" I asked starting to feel the exhaustion of my plane ride and being awake for over twenty-four hours.

"It matters to me."

"Look, I don't want to talk about this and I don't want to stay here, but if you promise to keep your big trap shut and not tell anyone I'm in town and I mean anyone, then I guess I can camp out in the spare room for the night," I acquiesced reluctantly.

"I won't tell anyone for now," he agreed. "You can have the bedroom if you want. There isn't a bed in the spare room anymore.

I raised my eyebrow at him.

"I had to do something with it. It was a constant reminder," he said sadly.

"Well I don't want to sleep in your bed," I told him.

"It used to be your bed too," he reminded me.

"Whatever. I'll take the couch," I insisted.

"Suit yourself, but don't say I didn't offer. You know where the towels are if you want to shower," he stated.

"Where are you going?" I asked as he put on his coat.

"I need to shovel the walkway and the driveway. The snow blower needs a new part and by now the stores are closed."

I waited until he was outside with the door shut before slowly walking over to the spare bedroom. I peered in the open door and inhaled sharply as the memories of that night came flooding back to me. It was like a film strip running through my head on repeat. All the things I'd worked so hard to forget came rushing into my head blowing my mind apart with visions of the worst night of my life. I shuddered as I recalled the flashing lights and the wailing sirens and the screams that it took me a long time to realize were my own. Tears threatened to spill down my cheeks as I took in a brown leather sofa, a desk with a laptop computer, a reading lamp and a bookshelf filled with Dimitri's collection of western novels. Everything was different from the curtains down to the color of the carpet and walls. Every trace of what this room used to hold had been erased.

I leaned heavily against the doorframe pausing for a moment before trudging to the bathroom with my bag.

I assessed the contents of the bathroom and found that where the spare bedroom had been as different as night and day, the bathroom was exactly the same. In fact as I opened the medicine cabinet I noticed he hadn't bothered to dispose of my toiletries. An old bottle of Chanel, my night cream and an old lipstick still stood alone on the shelf along with some prescriptions bottles for old medications. One of the bottles was tipped on its side and as I stood it up, I heard a metallic rattle inside. Curious, I opened the bottle and poured the contents into my hand. I gasped in awe as I opened my hand revealing my wedding band as well as Dimitri's. Why had he kept them all these years?

I remembered leaving mine on the kitchen counter before I left. It was meant to be the sign telling Dimitri it was over and I wasn't coming back. Instead he came home early probably having a sixth sense or something and caught me in the act of loading my stuff into the cab.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Roza, I'm home," Dimitri called as I heard the front door open and close. **_

"_**Shit," I muttered not having had the time to get my last bag out into the cab before he showed up. I looked at the clock and it was a little after noon. I had risen early, just after Dimitri left for the factory. I had booked airline tickets, packed the few possessions I'd wished to take with me and was just about ready to get the hell out of dodge without anyone being the wiser. **_

"_**Roza why is there a cab outside? Are you expecting someone?" he asked walking into the bedroom after not having found me in the kitchen or the living room. **_

_**I looked up at him guiltily with my last bag slung over my shoulder. His eyes widened in shock as he noticed my things were missing from the closet. **_

"_**What's going on?" he asked taking a timid step forward.**_

_**I looked down at the floor shuffling from one foot to the other.**_

"_**This isn't working," I started. **_

"_**What do you mean? What isn't working?" he asked. **_

"_**I don't want to be married," I confessed giving it to him straight.**_

"_**What?" he stammered. "You can't mean that." I could tell he was going to get emotional. That is why I had wanted to be gone before he got home. **_

"_**I'm sorry. I do mean it. I don't want to be here and I don't want to be married." **_

"_**But, we, I… We are married," he finally managed. **_

"_**I want a divorce," I whispered. **_

"_**Roza, I know things have been bad, but I thought they were getting better. We need each other. You can't leave." His voice was practically pleading and if I weren't such a heartless bitch, I might have felt sorry for what I was doing to him, but I didn't. I had to get out for my own sake and I couldn't stop to deal with the casualties or I'd end up one of them.**_

"_**They're not better. They'll never be better! I never wanted this," I told him trying not to cry.**_

"_**No, that isn't true. I love you, you love me. You're my wife," he repeated, like the more times he said it would make me not leave. **_

_**I shook my head biting my lip. "I don't want to be your wife anymore." **_

"_**Please don't do this," he begged. He rushed forward cupping my face in his hands. "We can fix this. We can make it through. Our love is strong. I need you Roza. You're the only woman I'll ever love," he said kissing my lips desperately. I allowed him this last kiss knowing I was breaking his heart.**_

_**I inhaled a ragged breath trying my hardest not to let his display of affection get to me. **_

"_**You can't fix this DImitri. No one can," I said untangling myself from his grip. **_

"_**Where are you going?" he asked finally resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to change my mind. "I can drive you. If you want to stay with your father or brother, I can take you, just please don't leave like this." **_

"_**I'm not going to my father's," I told him. **_

"_**Then where?" he questioned. **_

"_**New York." **_

_**I could see the defeat in his eyes as I told him I was leaving the country.**_

"_**You're coming back though? This is a vacation? I'll see you again and we can work things out," he said nearing hysterics."**_

"_**I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm not coming back." **_

_**I hurried out the door before he could stop me and I shouldn't have, but I turned around to look at the house one more time and I saw him standing on the porch tears running down his rouged cheeks. **_

_**End Flashback**_

I let the hot water run down my back easing the tension of the day. I must have spaced out because I heard the front door open and close signaling that Dimitri was done outside. I waited until I heard the bedroom door close to emerge from the bathroom in my towel. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what to wear to bed. I didn't have the foresight to pack any night clothes because I thought I would be out of here and back on a plane.

"What are you doing?" Dimitri asked startling me as I rifled through my bag still clutching a towel around me.

"If you must know, you pervert, I forgot my night clothes," I huffed.

"You can borrow a shirt of mine if you want," he offered ignoring my rude comment as usual proving that he was more mature than I was.

"That's okay, I'll sleep in my clothes," I said.

"Don't be ridiculous," he said disappearing into the bedroom, returning a moment later with a long flannel shirt.

"Do you want sweatpants too?" he asked.

I shook my head as I shimmied into the shirt. It dwarfed my petit five food seven frame nearly reaching well past my knees.

"Looks better on you," he commented.

"Just mind your business," I told him.

"Okay then, goodnight Roza," he said closing the bedroom door behind him. I was surprised to find he had made up the couch for me with a bed sheet. There was a thermal blanket, a comforter and two pillows. He knew I couldn't sleep with just one. If I didn't hate him so much I might have thanked him.

I tossed and turned fitfully having nightmares about the past and the scent of Dimitri's aftershave that lingered on his shirt was driving me insane. There was a time when that smell was comforting. Now all it did was bring back that night. I was woken early by a knocking on the door.

"Dimitri, someone is at the door," I called annoyed that he hadn't gotten up to answer it.

There was no answer.

"Of course, he would sleep through this. He could sleep through a tornado," I muttered getting up off the couch.

I opened the door and a cold blustery gust of air hit me in the face.

"Can I help you?" I asked in English to the woman at the door.

"I'm looking for my son," she said her eyes wide as she took in the sight of me standing at the door in Dimitri's shirt and nothing else. Crap, I thought. It was only a matter of seconds before she recognized me. I needed to get out of here and fast.

"Can I come in? It is rather cold out here," she said in English, which meant she hadn't discovered that it was me yet or she would have spoken Russian.

"I suppose," I said unlatching the door letting her inside.

She stepped into the house and I shivered closing the door swiftly behind her. Damn it was cold out there.

"Is Dimka home?" she asked looking past me towards the bedroom obviously uncomfortable thinking she had caught her son with a woman in his house.

"He's still asleep," I told her praying she would leave.

"Roza, who's at the door?" Dimitri asked coming out of his room in just his pajama pants rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Roza?" Olena gasped in shock looking from me to Dimitri and back again.

"Hi," I said lamely giving her a curt smile and a wave.

" I can't believe this after all these years you've come back to us. It's so good to see you honey, how are you?" she asked throwing her arms around me. I didn't know what to do so I let her hug me giving Dimitri a really dirty look over her shoulder. He just smirked like the asshole he was.

"Well I hope I'm not interrupting something," she said winking. "Or rather that I hope I am." She had always been our biggest supporter when we were young. I spent a lot of time at her house growing up when my father was on business and she was like a mother to me. It pained me that she was being so nice to me after I hadn't even deigned to tell her goodbye.

"You aren't interrupting anything," I told her not wanting to give her false hope. The smile on her face undoubtedly meant she had mistook our attire and me being here as us getting back together.

"What are you doing here Mama?" Dimitri asked in Russian.

"Well you weren't answering your phone yesterday or this morning and you didn't come to dinner so I was worried. Now I see you had company," she practically squealed.

"I'm sorry to have worried you," he apologized kissing her cheek as he welcomed her into the house.

"Would you like to stay for some breakfast?" he asked.

"Only if it's okay with Roza," she said smiling happily at me.

"Of course it's okay," I told her faking a bright smile. I didn't want to hurt her feelings. After all she'd never done anything to me and she didn't deserve my snotty behavior.

"What are you doing?" I hissed pulling Dimitri into the bedroom while Olena made herself at home in the kitching pulling pots and pans out most likely getting breakfast started. Even though he invited her for breakfast, she would never allow him to cook.

"What, she's my mother. I couldn't just tell her to get out," he defended himself.

"That's not it. You're using her as an excuse to keep me here longer. You know I won't fight dirty in front of her," I accused.

He smirked. "You won't, but I will," he said slapping my ass .

"You just keep your hands to yourself or I'll make sure you wake up a woman tomorrow," I menaced.

"You don't scare me," he breathed against my neck sending tingles all down my spine.

"You might want to put on some clothes or my mother might get the wrong idea," he said winking at me as he exited the room.

"Ugh! You are so frustrating," I cried.

I grabbed my bag and put on a black fitted turtle neck and a pair of skinny jeans with boots. I ran a brush through my tangled mass of hair and brushed my teeth.

When I reentered the kitchen they were talking in hushed whispers that stopped abruptly upon seeing me.

"Sweetheart, you're looking so thin. Don't they feed you in New York?" she asked clucking her tongue at me.

"Dimka let's get some meat on her bones," she said grabbing the frying pan.

"That's going to be difficult to do seeing is that Roza is a vegan now," he explained.

"A what?" she asked looking at me.

"She doesn't eat meat or animal products," he said shaking his head in disapproval.

"Well no wonder she's so thin. What else is there to eat?"

"I'm fine with just coffee black," I said walking over to the cabinet that I knew held the coffee mugs.

I opened the door grabbing the first one my hand came into contact with, settting it down on the counter. As I brought it to my lips I caught sight of the design on the mug and promptly dropped it on the floor jumping back as it shattered all over scalding me with hot coffee.

"Roza, are you alright?" Dimitri asked stepping forward with a cool cloth dabbing it on the red spots forming on my hands while I stood there in a daze.

"I'll get a broom," Olena said.

"Roza look at me," Dimitri said forcing me to meet his gaze.

"I'm fine. Let go of me!" I snapped pulling away from him.

"I didn't know it was still in there. I use the same one every day," he apologized pointing to a thermos that sat next to the stove.

I gulped. "Whatever, I'm fine, just leave it alone," I warned.

After Olena finished cleaning up my mess she set a plate of fresh fruit and some whole wheat toast in front of me, which wasn't exactly vegan, but I didn't want to offend her.

"I think this should be okay," she said.

"Thank you," I said picking up a piece of the toast and nibbling on the edge. I resisted the urge to tell them I was on a cleanse and wasn't supposed to have anything but liquids. It wasn't easy maintaining my figure and as it is I had been away from my trainer for two days now.

"So what are your plans for today? I should get home so I can begin preparations for the party this weekend," she said, finishing up what was on her plate.

"Actually I am pretty busy today. I have to get some paperwork done and then I'm heading to the airport," I said making sure Dimitri knew exactly what paperwork I was talking about.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Back to New York, where I live," I told her not wanting to lie.

"Are you here visiting your family?" she asked being the busybody she was.

"Yes, that is exactly why she is here. She's visiting," Dimitri interrupted giving me a glare. I was guessing from the look of apprehension on his face when I mentioned the paperwork, he didn't want to tell his mother I was engaged to another man and that is why I needed a divorce.

"Oh it would be so lovely if you would stay through the weekend. Our annual holiday get together is on the fourteenth. Everyone is going to be there and it's been so long since anyone has seen you, well in person that is. We've all seen your beautiful magazine spreads," she said.

"I would love to, but I have a pressing engagement back in New York that requires my presence tomorrow," I said emphasizing the word engagement referring to Adrian who had been blowing up my phone all morning.

"I'm sure you can change your flight. If anyone can pull strings it's a model," Dimitri said with a grin. He was playing with fire here and I was going to burn him if he didn't stop.

"Oh yes, please change your flight. Viktoria will be heartbroken if she hears you were in town and you didn't come see her," she pleaded taking my hands in hers. "It would mean so much to me."

"Besides that paperwork is going to take longer than you thought," Dimitri piped in throwing it in my face that I needed him to sign those papers and if I didn't do what he wanted, he would ruin my wedding.

"I suppose I can try," I agreed reluctantly. Dimitri was so going to pay for this.

"Great then it's settled. I have to go begin preparations, but you two should come by for dinner tonight. I promise I will cook something vegan," she stated clapping her hands together with excitement.

"I"ll see you two later," she called letting herself out.

"You are a dead man," I growled turning towards Dimitri.

"It's worth it," he said smirking as he finished up his breakfast.

My phone began to buzz again and I knew I needed to answer it this time so I ducked out into the living room leaving Dimitri to tend to the dishes.

"Hey babe, how are you?" I asked my voice doing a one-eighty when I heard Adrian on the other end of the line. His voice soothed my rapidly fraying nerves.

"Missing you," he said. I could just imagine him sitting on the couch with the paper in hand wearing my robe because he was too lazy to go and find his own.

"How's the shoot going? Are you almost done?"

I sighed wanting to break it to him gently. "Actually there have been some major complications. I think I'm going to be stuck here for the rest of the week," I told him. Major complication number one stubborn husband, complication number two, meddling mother-in-law.

"That's too bad. I was so looking forward to ravaging your sexy body this evening," he said in a sultry tone that made me wish I was home right now.

"You know how much I'd love to be in our apartment lying next to you, but I have to work," I said putting on my best I'm sorry act so he wouldn't be cross with me.

"I do love seeing your beautiful face all over the billboards in Time's Square," he said. I could hear him flipping the pages of his newspaper.

"Well you'll see me soon enough. I am determined to make it out of here by Sunday and I promised we can spend all day in bed," I told him.

"I'm going to hold you too that. I love you," he said and I could picture his beautiful green eyes and smile as he said it.

"I love you too babe," I said hanging up the phone. I turned around to find Dimitri standing in the doorway, a pained expression on his face. He must have overheard my conversation.

"Lying to your lover?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"That's none of your business and he isn't my lover, he's my fiancé," I corrected him.

"That's right. He's your fiancé and I'm your husband. That means your committing adultery."

My jaw dropped. I couldn't believe he'd just said that.

"Well at least I've only been sleeping with one man and I'm going to marry him. God knows you've probably had dozens of women here at our house over the years. What does that say about you?" My chest was heaving and my fists were clenched. How dare he accuse me of adultery when he was doing the same or worse?

"You know what you're absolutely right. I seem to have lost count of how many women I've brought home since you left," he said giving me a stormy glare.

"You're a pig," I told him in disgust, grabbing my purse and coat before slamming the door behind me.

As I stomped down the driveway having lifted his keys from the nightstand this morning, I couldn't help the rage I felt at the thought of him sleeping with all those women in our house or what used to be our house. I didn't know why I was letting him get to me. I didn't need this. I needed to clear my head. The sooner I got him to sign those papers, the sooner I could go home to the man I loved.

**Wow, why did he lie to her about all those women? What do you think of her meddling mother in law and what about that spare room? **


	4. Chapter 4: Stagnant

**Chapter 4: Stagnant**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**A lot of good guesses as to what happened in the spare room and a lot of confusion about the mug. No one has guessed entirely right yet, but some are in the vicinity. Guess you'll just have to read on to find out.**

RPOV

I drove down the familiar streets of my hometown wondering what it was that I hated so much about this place. I couldn't pinpoint one thing exactly. It was just a stifling feeling I got as I recognized familiar landmarks. I knew where everyone lived. I could tell you where everyone worked. I could tell you how many children they had, names ages and sometimes birthdates. This town was stagnant, unchanging. No one ever moved in and no one ever moved out. It had been this way since I could remember and as I continued to drive I saw that it was still true. I passed by the Dashkov's who always put up this ridiculous snowman in front of their house. Next to them were the Drozdov's who had seven children, the youngest of which would be about eight. There were sleds and play things strewn all about their front yard and footprints signifying that all the neighbor kids had been over to play in the snow yesterday.

I debated on whether or not I should turn down the next street. It was the street where I had grown up. I sucked in a breath of air and decided it was time to face my demons.

I turned down the old dirt road which hadn't been plowed too well. Luckily Dimitri drove a beast of a truck with snow chains and four wheel drive so I made it easily down the middle of the street.

Our house looked relatively the same as it had when I left give or take a few repairs. It was still by far the largest house on the street. Baba was a wealthy business man who moved our family to Baia after my mother was killed in a car accident in Istanbul when I was five. At first I had no idea why he would move us to such a small town, but later I realized he had moved here to be closer to his half sister Oksana and her husband Mark.

My heart ached to see Baba, but I didn't know if I had to courage to face him just yet. I stopped the truck a few houses down and observed the quiet street. I'd only been there a few minutes when the back door opened and a tall well built man walked out followed by a petite woman who was carrying a small child. My heart constricted as they came closer. I recognized the mop of red hair sticking out from under my brother's hat. I stifled a sob as I watched him interact with the woman who must be his wife. He kissed her before helping her settle their son into his car seat. He looked really happy.

Just as he was about to open the door to his car to get in he glanced in my direction. My eyes widened and I held my breath hoping he couldn't make out too much of my face from behind the tinted windows.

"Hey Dimitri!" he called waving in my direction. I let out a sigh of relief that he couldn't see me, but was nervous that he had recognized Dimitri's truck. Stupid stupid stupid Rose. Of course he recognized the truck. They used to work on cars together in high school. I slapped myself mentally for not remembering that I was driving a very conspicuous vehicle.

He looked confused as I continued to sit there not making a move to wave back. I wondered how fast I could put the truck in gear and turn around before he came over here. Probably not fast enough and that would only raise questions.

I braced myself as he jogged over to the side of the truck. He knocked on the window no doubt wondering why Dimitri was acting so shady. I smoothed down my hair and inhaled sharply before rolling down the window.

"Hey D, what's with the attitude…."he trailed off, a look of complete shock crossing his face as he realized I was not Dimitri.

"Rose?" he questioned still gaping at me.

"Hey Mase," I managed not knowing what else to say.

Before I could say anything he reached his hand inside the truck, unlocked the door opening it wide. His large arms engulfed me in a massive bear hug.

"Where the hell have you been?" he asked still hugging me so tight I thought he'd break me.

"Mase, can't breathe," I choked. He pulled back slightly looking me square in the eye.

"I can't believe you're here. Baba's going to flip out," he said in true Mason fashion.

My eyes widened. "No, you can't tell him I'm here," I said quickly.

"What? Why? You haven't been home in seven years. He's going to want to see you," he argued. "Wait why are you here? You don't seem like you were going to get out of the car," he mused eying me closely.

I sighed. "I'm here to force Dimitri to sign divorce papers," I admitted never having lied to my brother before.

"I should have figured you weren't here to see us," he snapped pulling away from me sharply.

I looked down at the ground not wanting to see the hurt in his eyes.

"You know I'm married now and I have a son," he said.

"I saw. They're beautiful. I'm so happy for you," I said sincerely.

"Come to my house and meet them," he said eager to get me to come with him.

"Aww Mase, I don't think that's a good idea," I told him.

"Of course not. You're so selfish Rose. Why would you want to do anything that isn't on your busy work agenda," he snorted.

"That's not fair!" I shot back. "You know why I left. You know I had to."

"Damn it Rose. We were hurting too, so was Dimitri! You could have stayed. We would have been there for you!" he shouted pounding his fist on the truck.

"I tried that! It didn't work. I couldn't handle it! I needed a fresh start," I said lowering my voice pleading with him to understand.

"You didn't try that hard. You gave it what six weeks and things were hard so you just up and abandoned your husband and your family."

"I don't have to justify myself to you or anyone else. It was what's best for me. I'm sorry you can't understand that and I hope you never will. I want good things for you Mase and I thought you'd want that for me too," I sniffled letting the tears flow freely down my cheeks.

His face softened. "I'm sorry. I know it was an awful time. I have no idea what you were going through. It's just that I was here and I watched Dimitri fall apart after you left. He really needed you Rose. We all did."

I didn't know what to say so I remained silent for a minute.

"Staying here would have killed me," I whispered.

"I know," he said pulling me into his arms as I allowed myself to break down for the first time in five years.

"Mason, is everything okay?" I pulled away from the comfort of my brother's arms. His wife stood several feet away holding their son.

"Hey Jilly Bean, I want to introduce you to someone," he said looking at me for confirmation that it was okay.

I wiped the tears from my eyes with the sleeve of my coat and nodded.

"This is my sister Rosemarie," he said. "Rose, this is my wife Jill and our son Micah," he said grabbing the baby's foot and squeezing it gently.

Jill's eyes lit up. "Oh my gosh, it's so nice to finally meet you. Mason talks about his famous supermodel sister all the time," she gushed handing the baby to my brother before throwing her arms around me in a huge hug. She certainly was friendly.

"Where are you staying while you're in town?" she asked. Mason glanced at me and then at Dimitri's truck.

"Uh, I'm not too sure. I just got in last night and I stayed at my.. I stayed with a friend," I said not knowing how much she knew about my past.

"Well you're more than welcome to stay with us if you want. We've got more than enough room."

"That's kind of you. I'll think about it," I said definitely intrigued by the idea of getting out of staying with Dimitri.

"You know you could always have your old room back at home. Baba would love it," Mason pointed out letting me know that he was displeased that I hadn't informed them or Baba that I was in town.

"Hey it's freezing out here, why don't you follow us back to our place and we can have a nice chat," she said inviting me along. "It would mean a lot to Mason," she coaxed sensing my hesitation.

"I guess that would be okay," I said reluctantly accepting her invitation.

"That's great. I've got a roast left over from yesterday that makes great sandwiches," she said excitedly taking the baby back from Mason.

"Here's the address in case you get lost," she said scrawling it on a piece of paper. I snorted at her comment. Like anyone could get lost in this hole of a town. There were like three roads.

DPOV

I kicked the side of the house in anger as I realized Rose had lifted my keys this morning and had stolen my truck.

I sighed going to the garage and uncovering the snowmobile. Luckily there were enough unplowed roads that I'd be able to make it to the hardware store and back. I also wanted to stop at the grocery store and pick up some food she could eat. This morning had gone far better than I'd hoped. My mother stopping by was the icing on the cake. I had doubts about whether or not I'd be able to persuade Rose to stay more than one more night, but she could never say no to my mother. It was perfect. I had five days to figure out how to win her back. I had no idea where to start though. Her fiancé was polished, well mannered, rich, good looking and didn't live anywhere near Baia. I couldn't compete with that. I had money stashed away, but nowhere near the loads of cash she was used to. I had fixed up the outside of the house, but it was still a two bedroom one bathroom house with a small kichen and living area. I wasn't a hillbilly by any means, but I certainly didn't know the first thing about proper high society etiquette. I ate with my elbows on the table, I drank beer and wore flannel. Three things I'm sure weren't attractive in her world. I longed for the days when she loved me and all it took was a drive in movie or a trip to the lake to make her happy. She was right. I had absolutely no idea how to please her these days.

She thought that no one had bothered to come to see her after she moved, but she was mistaken. Three years ago after I'd put the pieces of my shattered life back together, I had taken a trip to New York City. I was assaulted immediately with photos of the woman I knew intimately. Her photograph everywhere I looked. I had just stepped off the subway coming from my hotel and I got off on the wrong stop. I exited anyway so I could get a lay of the land and the first thing I saw was a giant billboard in what I now realize was Time's Square. It was a Victoria's Secret ad and my wife, my Roza, was plastered all over it wearing nothing more than a practically see through bra and skimpy panties. Albeit she was breathtakingly beautiful and I knew first hand that they hadn't had to touch up her photos too much because her skin was flawless. I stood there for I don't know how long mezmorized by this board until I saw two men around my age ogling my wife and making crude comments.

I decided then and there that I was going to drag her back to Baia with me and no man better lay his hands or his eyes on her. She was mine and I wouldn't stand for this. I asked around town and found out she was doing a fashion show at a local studio and managed to finagle tickets to the show. They were not cheap and I felt as if I'd sold my soul to the devil in order to procure them. I stood in the back because my tickets were standing room only and watched her as she strutted down the runway in numerous ridiculous outfits. She was absolutely stunning, much more so than any of the other models. I then proceeded to use my stealthy ninja skills to sneak back to where the models dressing rooms were.

It was there that I learned I was going to have to do a lot more than what I was doing now to win back her heart. A man, I now know to be her fiancé Adrian Ivashkov met her back stage where she was only half clothed. He was dressed formally in a smart grey suit and a tie. He greeted her with a bouquet of beautiful roses, which I knew she hated, but from him apparently she loved them. She flew into his arms with the biggest smile on her face and he swung her around in a circle before proceeding to put his hands and lips all over her. I was hurt and angry and had gone home in utter defeat. She was happier without me.

I pulled up to the corner grocery store which I'm sure wouldn't carry a lot of the items I was looking for, but there weren't a whole lot of choices. I mulled around the store placing several items in my basket before heading to the check out. Much to my chagrin Tasha was standing behind the register. I had forgotten she worked mornings. I usually tried to avoid her and came in the evenings.

"Dimka, how are you? I haven't seen you in forever," she said greeting me warmly.

"It's good to see you as well, Tasha. I've been doing well," I told her placing my items on the conveyer belt.

"Well this is different," she mused scanning my soy milk, tofu, fresh green beans, oatmeal, hummus, rice cakes, peanut butter, veggie burgers, and a bag of almonds, walnuts and dried fruit."

"I'm uh trying to eat healthier," I lied hoping she wouldn't ask too many questions.

"Well I know some good recipes if you ever want me to come over and show you," she said placing her hand over mine suggestively.

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I've got it covered," I said handing her some cash for the items. She and I had gone on several dates last year after she'd spent years letting me know she was interested, but I wasn't enthralled with her. She was nice, but I had eyes only for Rose. She didn't seem to take the hint that I wasn't interested and had taken every opportunity to seek me out.

I threw the bags into my backpack and drove over to the hardware store.

"Is that all you'll be needing?" Mark asked as I paid for the part for the snow blower.

"Yes, that's all," I said handing over the cash.

"So, buzz around town is that Ozera made a very interesting delivery to your house last night," he said winking.

"I don't know what you mean," I said playing dumb.

"Oh come on boy, I was hoping to get the details so I could tell Abe his daughter was back in town," he said hassling me.

"So is she?" he asked again obviously not letting me go without explanation.

"She's here," I confirmed knowing she was going to kill me later for telling.

"Well I'll be damned. Rosemarie had finally come home. Abe is going to be thrilled. I've got to call him up right now," he said picking up his phone.

"No," I said placing my hand over the phone.

"What why not?"

"Let her come to him in her own time. She doesn't need him giving her a public scolding," I said knowing how gruff Abe could be when he was upset.

"Well you just make sure she goes home," he said handing me my bag.

"Easier said than done," I muttered.

It was getting late and Mama wanted us for dinner at five. I cursed myself for not having thought to get Rose's cell number this morning. I had no way of reaching her or knowing what the hell she had done with my truck. For all I knew she'd hightailed it out of town, but then again she couldn't leave until I signed those papers and if I had it my way, she was never leaving Baia again.

**Wow he's a sneaky one. Do you think Tasha is going to be a problem? What do you think of Mason being her brother? **


	5. Chapter 5: Family Dinner

**Chapter 5: Family Dinner**

**I do not own Vampire Academy**

**I know you all think Rose is being mean, but hey that's how this story is meant to be. Also she's been through a rough time and needs to find her way.**

RPOV

I glanced at the clock above Mason's microwave and noticed that it was nearly five. I was pretty sure Olena would be expecting us any time now and as much as I was enjoying sitting around chewing the fat with my brother and his wife, I really needed to get going. I wanted Dimitri in a good mood so he would sign the papers and being late was not one of his favorite things.

"So tell me how long are you in town for?" Jill asked as she cleared the table after lunch. I had politely declined one of her sandwiches in favor of a banana saying I had eaten a huge breakfast that Olena had made.

"Not sure. I have some things to take care of and then I'll be headed home," I told her trying to be vague.

"So you live in the city?" she asked starting on the dishes. Why no one here had a dishwasher was beyond my comprehension.

"We have an apartment," I said noticing my slip up as soon as it was out of my mouth.

"We?" my brother asked raising his eyebrow.

I sighed. "Yes I share an apartment with my fiancé, Adrian," I confessed.

"You're getting married? I thought you were married to Dimitri?" Jill asked looking at Mason in confusion.

"I am technically, but I'm here to settle our divorce papers," I said.

"Oh that's too bad. That man is head over heels in love with you," she said. "I mean word is that Tasha Ozera has been trying to land him for years, but he won't give her the time of day because he's so hung up on you."

"Well if he wants to live in the past that's his problem," I said annoyed that I always got made out to be the bad guy. Everyone had such a soft spot for Dimitri. No one cared how miserable I was during our brief marriage.

"Do you want to hold him?" Jill asked bringing little Micah over to me.

I tensed up not having any desire to be near a baby let alone hold one. I wasn't child friendly. Anyone who'd ever met me knew that.

"Rosie, it's okay. You should hold him," Mason urged.

"I can't," I said jumping to my feet quickly, grabbing my things. "I have to go. Dimitri is expecting me home."

"I thought you were getting a divorce," Jill asked.

"We are, but Olena invited us for dinner and it would be rude not to go," I said hurrying towards the door. I needed to get some air before I passed out from the panic.

"Thanks for a lovely afternoon," I said vacating as quickly as I could. I ran out to the truck and leaned against the side sinking to my knees shaking with sobs.

"Rosie wait!" Mason called. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you," he apologized crouching down in front of me. "Take some deep breaths," he instructed placing his hand on my shoulder to steady me as I swayed from the dizziness.

I did as he instructed and managed to calm down a bit, but I was still a little shaky.

"I don't think you should drive. Let me take you home and I can walk from there," he said asking me for the keys.

I didn't have the energy to argue so I handed them over and allowed him to help me into the passenger side of the truck.

DPOV

It was nearly five-fifteen when I heard my truck pull up into the driveway. I went outside to scold Rose for stealing my truck and being late, but instead was surprised to see Mason get out of the driver's seat.

"What happened?" I asked as he walked around the side of the truck.

"Rose had a little upset," he said supporting her as she walked unsteadily next to him. Her face was flushed and I could tell she'd been crying. My heart raced at the thought of possibilities of what might have happened to cause this reaction. In the weeks before she left me she'd suffered from sleeplessness, panic attacks and had been taking anti-depressants prescribed by her physician. I should have been there for her more. Had I not been such a wreck myself I might have anticipated she was going to do something rash like move to a different country.

"Are you alright?" I asked as he helped her up the stairs and over to the couch.

"I'm fine. I just got a little woozy is all. Please stop making a big deal out of it," she snapped.

I nodded motioning for Mason to accompany me outside.

"What the hell happened?" I asked.

"Nothing, I swear. We were having a nice afternoon. She came over to see the house and I introduced her to Jill. She didn't eat much at lunch, maybe that's part of it," he said.

"And the other part?" I asked knowing there was more to the story.

"Jill asked her if she wanted to hold Micah," he admitted reluctantly.

"And?" I asked.

"Rose said no, but I pushed her and she freaked out. I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have. I just thought since she'd been away so long that it would be okay."

"Wounds like that don't heal overnight and my guess is that she's been avoiding her feelings and hasn't dealt with them properly," I told him tugging on my ponytail in frustration. I myself was still coping with our tragic past, but unlike her, I'd been seeing a grief counselor on and off for several years. I was finally able to acknowledge my pain and guilt and until she did so, she would never get over it.

"I didn't mean to upset her. I blew it. She'll probably never come back after today," he said sounding downcast.

"It's not your fault. She'll be okay. I'll make sure of it," I reassured him.

"Can you also make sure she doesn't leave without saying goodbye this time?" he growled.

"I'll do my best."

I walked back into the house to find Rose in the kitchen rummaging in the refrigerator.

"You went shopping?" she questioned pulling out the tub of hummus and grabbing a bag of chips.

"I did. Are you sure you're alright?" I asked.

"Please stop asking," she groaned. "Are you ready to go?"

"Go?" I asked.

"Yes, your mother invited us for dinner and it's nearly five-thirty. She'll be expecting us."

"I thought maybe you weren't up to it," I said scratching my head in confusion. She'd been shaking just moments ago and now she seemed fine.

"I told you I'm fine. Let's go," she said putting the chips and hummus in a bag pulling me by the arm.

"Okay," I said grabbing my keys. She was doing what Rose did best, pushing her feelings aside until one day they became so bottled up that she exploded.

The drive was short and silent. The only sound was the snow crunching beneath the tires. I turned on the radio hoping it would soothe my nerves. It wasn't going to be easy sitting in a room with my mother, grandmother and sisters without getting the third degree about Rose and I, especially from Sonya.

"I see you still have crap taste in music," she snorted as country music flowed through the speakers.

"Did you ever think that maybe it's you, who has crappy taste in music?" I taunted in return.

"Nope!" she said popping the p like she used to.

"You do remember how to speak Russian don't you?" I asked rolling my eyes at her.

"Sure I do, but I don't have to if I don't want to."

"Well if Babushka is here, you will have to," I warned her.

"Yea yea, I know crazy old bat," she muttered under her breath.

Walking into the house with Rose was like a movie playing in slow motion. My sister Viktoria was excited as could be and came rushing over to greet us.

"Oh Roza! It's so great that you're back. I can't wait to catch up and talk about old times," she cried hugging Rose tightly. Vika was one year behind Rose is school and they had been very close before she left.

My sister Karolina was in the kitchen and when she caught sight of Rose, she nearly dropped the bowl she was holding.

"I can't believe it. Mama told me you were here, but I thought she was hallucinating," she said coming over to us looking Rose up and down.

"It's good to see you," she finally said giving Rose a hug as well.

"Yea, it's good of Princess Rosemarie to grace us with her presence after seven years of not giving a damn and pretending we don't exist," Sonya snorted disdainfully.

"Sonya, be nice," Mama ordered.

"Well it's true. You should read the interview she gave in Glamour a few months ago," she said tossing a magazine onto the counter.

Rose inhaled sharply, but remained silent. Her self-control surprised me greatly. Rose and Sonya had never gotten along and I thought she'd rip her a new one after the comments she made, but I guess she had changed after all.

Viktoria dragged Rose over to the couch and began talking her ear off and I was surprised that Rose didn't bite her head off and was actually speaking Russian to her.

"You really should read that article Dimka," Sonya suggested. "I'm just looking out for you. I don't want to see you hurt again like you were all those years ago." I knew my sister meant well and she was just looking out for my well being, but sometimes she was a little too overprotective.

"Thanks Sonya, but I can handle this," I told her.

"Like you handled it the last time?" she asked.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Dimka? Dimka are you home?" I could hear my sister calling out to me, but I couldn't bring myself to care. In the last two months I had lost everything that mattered to me and the excruciating pain I'd felt a few days ago as Roza walked out on me was almost preferable to the numbness I felt now.**_

"_**Dimka what happened?" Sonya cried rushing into the bedroom where I was sitting on the floor next to the bed with my knees to my chest staring blankly at the wall. **_

"_**It looks like a tornado burst through here. Where's Roza? Is she okay? Dimka talk to me!" she ordered shaking my shoulders.**_

"_**Rose is gone," I told her.**_

"_**What do you mean gone? Did someone take her? Is she at the store? Dimka you're scaring me," she cried.**_

"_**She left me. She took her things, got in a cab and left me," I repeated. No matter how many times I said it out loud it didn't seem real. Rose and I had been together since she was in Kingergarden and I was in second grade. We had been best friends until Junior high and then we'd gone through an awkward period where neither of us would admit our feelings, but one day freshman year of high school I worked up the nerve and as we walked home from school, I took her down to the pond where the old tire swing was and told her I loved her. She'd smiled and laughed tossing back her hair and asked what had taken me so long to tell her. Then as I stood there stupefied, she pressed me up against an old oak tree and gave me my first kiss. It was long and slow and showed just how much we truly cared for each other. After that it was only a matter of time before we were even more inseparable. I carved our names into the old tree and we'd bring a picnic down there on nice days. It was under that tree that she gave herself to me and we lost our virginity after homecoming her sophomore year. She was the only girl I'd ever kissed and the only woman I'd ever made love to and she was gone. **_

"_**Dimka I'm sorry," Sonya said. She didn't really seem surprised which irked me. **_

"_**Did you know she was planning this?" I asked angrily. **_

"_**No of course not, but Dimka it wasn't a surprise that she was unhappy. You knew. Everyone knew." **_

"_**She wouldn't give me a chance to be there for her. Doesn't she understand that I'm hurting just as much as she is?" **_

"_**I know you are. Let's get you cleaned up," she said pulling me to my feet. I hadn't showered in days. I had a weeks worth of stubble on my face and I'd fallen into the first bottle of cheap vodka I could find and drank myself silly for two days straight until I ran out of liquor. I'd destroyed the furniture, punched my fist through the drywall and threw everything off the counter tops. Then I just lay on the floor staring at the ceiling willing this all to be a bad dream.**_

_**End Flashback**_

I spent the remainder of that year drunk off my ass. I didn't go to work and was let go, I barely ate, I didn't sleep for fear of nightmares plaguing me. I lost thirty pounds and Mama nearly had me hospitalized. Sonya was the strong one through it all. While Karo and Vika fell apart watching my life unravel before their eyes, Sonya held my hair while I was sick, made me soup, read me the local news and kicked my ass back into shape telling me should wouldn't stand to see her baby brother wallow over some woman.

I had her to thank for me getting a construction job. She pushed and pushed until I fixed up the house. She dragged me out of bed to go to work in the morning and made sure I ate. She was my rock when I needed one and saw me at my worst. I told her things I'd never tell anyone not even Mama and that is why she hated Rose so much. She watched my life deteriorate before her eyes and she blamed Rose one hundred percent. I kept trying to remind her that more than half of it was my fault. I knew Rose was upset and unhappy, yet I didn't do anything about it. I was nineteen years old. I didn't know how to be a husband to her. I didn't know how to deal with my own emotions and grief let alone help her through hers. I'd failed her when she needed me the most not once, but twice. If anyone was to blame for the things that happened, it was me.

Dinner was mostly pleasant, but Rose didn't eat much and I was beginning to worry about her. Babushka didn't come down and when Mama announced it was time for dessert Rose declined.

"You won't even try a piece of my pumpkin pie? I made it just for you. It's entirely animal product free," she said trying to entice Rose to eat some.

"I guess I have room," she agreed trying to appease my mother. By the end of the evening, Rose had eaten three pieces of pie and I smiled as I watched the expression on her face as she savoured each bite. Now that was the Rose I knew and loved polishing off nearly an entire pie was one of her favorite parts of the holidays.

"We should head out it's getting late," I said as the clock said it was nearly eleven.

"Roza we should go out one of these days before the party," Vika said as we were putting on our winter gear.

"Sure that would be great," Rose agreed.

"I have to work tomorrow but how is Wednesday?"

Rose agreed to meet up with Vika on Wednesday and promised Mama she would be at the party on Saturday.

Just as we were leaving, Sonya pressed the magazine into my hand. I kissed her cheek and gave her a disapproving smile. She never would let this go.

"Are you tired or would you like a cup of tea?" I asked as we entered the house.

"I'm exhausted," she said. "I'm going to take a shower and go to bed."

"Are you sure you want to stay on the couch? I would be more than happy to trade with you," I said, knowing full well what I really wanted was for her to climb in bed next to me like she used to.

"I'm fine on the couch," she insisted.

I let her use the bathroom first and I went to make myself a cup of hot cocoa. If I thought she would drink it, I would have made one for her.

I was just walking into the bedroom when I heard strange sounds coming from the bathroom. The water was running, but I was positive I heard other noises. I pressed me ear to the door and just as I thought I heard the sounds of Rose retching violently. I felt terrible that she was sick and I wondered if it was from the pie. I felt fine, but I only had one piece. I opened the door to offer my assistance and I gaped at the sight before me.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked grabbing her by the wrist, pulling her away from the toilet.

"What am I doing? What the hell are you doing?" she cried.

"I'm not the one sticking my hand down my throat to induce vomiting," I said angrily.

"What? I wasn't doing that. I felt sick," she lied.

"Is this why you're a vegan? Is it so you can stay rail thin?" I growled. I couldn't stand to see her hurting herself like this.

"Get your hands off of me. You have no right to know anything about my life. Just leave me alone," she cried shoving me hard. I stumbled back, but compared to my brute strength she was feeble.

"You have to stop this. It isn't healthy."

"You're one to talk. How many bottles of Vodka do you go through a week?" she spat.

"A lot less now than back then," I said. "That's beside the point."

"Uh uh no way. If you get to police my life, then I get a say in yours," she argued.

"Since when do you want a say in mine?" I asked pulling her closer to me grasping both of her wrists in my hands.

"I don't," she said breathlessly. Our eyes met and for a brief second I was transported back to a simpler time when she let me hold her for real.

"You have to stop this," I said as she maneuvered herself out of my grip.

"Who do you think you are telling me what to do?" she bit out.

"I'm your husband and I love you. Does your fiancé know you do this or does he not care?"

She looked down at the floor. "He doesn't know okay. He wouldn't like it anymore than you do. So leave him out of this."

"Fine, but this isn't over. I'm not going to stand by and watch you do this to yourself."

"Dimitri please, it isn't what it looks like. I don't do this all the time. I usually just watch what I eat, but your mom was so insistent, I couldn't say no and then once I tasted real food, which I haven't had in long time, I couldn't help myself. I'm sorry. Just please let it go."

I sighed sitting on the side of the tub. "I just worry about you," I said.

"I know, but you don't have to. You can be free from all of this if you just let me go," she said placing her hand on my cheek. It was the first time she had initiated any sort of physical contact and I leaned into her touch placing my hand over hers.

"Is that what you really want?" I asked searching her eyes for what I hoped was a spark of the love we once shared.

She shook her head. "What I want is to go back in time and make different choices," she said softly.

"So do I," I said. "So do I."

**So what choice do you think Rose is talking about and yes I know Sonya is a bitch in all my stories. I don't know why but I don't like her in the books so I always make her evil=)**


	6. Chapter 6: What the Hell Rose?

Chapter 6: What the Hell Rose?

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy.

RPOV

I woke up feeling more tired than I had before I went to sleep. The couch was really uncomfortable and I really should have taken Dimitri up on his offer for me to sleep in the bedroom. I longed to wake up in the comfort of the apartment I shared with Adrian. I loved the feeling of our satin sheets and waking up to his carefree smile. Things with him were so easy. We didn't have a past or share a complicated history. He didn't know my family. We had a few mutual friends, but mostly we kept to our own little private bubble. The best thing about him was that he never got too serious about anything. The little things didn't bother him and he was a live and let live kind of guy. Dimitri on the other hand had always been overprotective, stuck his nose into my private business, had to know where I was and what I was doing at all times and wanted to be with me every waking moment. It's a wonder I didn't suffocate from all his hovering.

I sighed remembering that I hadn't always felt that way about him.

_**Flashback (Junior Prom) **_

"_**Rose, Dimitri is here," Mason called. My heart fluttered as I gave myself one last look in the mirror. **_

"_**Geez Rose, do you think you used enough lip gloss?" my best friend Lissa asked smirking at me. **_

_**She knew how much tonight meant to me. Dimitri had graduated last year and had begun working at the factory and his days were pretty busy. He took today off of work so we could spend the entire weekend together to make up for lost time. **_

"_**Yes, I used just the right amount," I snapped giving her a playful shove. **_

"_**So what are you and Aaron doing after prom?" I asked. **_

"_**I don't know. He won't tell me. He says it's a surprise." **_

"_**I'll bet he takes you out to the woods to drink with his buddies," I snorted. Aaron was nice and all, but kind of unimaginative when it came to dating. He and Lissa had been together for nearly a year and the only place he'd ever taken her was the drive through at the new McDonalds that just opened a few towns over. **_

"_**Shut up! You're so lucky. Dimitri is fabulous. He's always doing nice things for you and taking you on romantic dates," she said sighing dreamily.**_

"_**Hey get that look off your face while you're talking about my boyfriend," I growled. **_

"_**Okay Rose, you don't have to get all territorial. Everyone knows he's yours, not that he'd ever look at another girl." **_

"_**Damn straight he'd better not," I said grabbing my clutch.**_

_**We descended the stairs quickly. I couldn't wait any longer to be in his arms and when I saw him standing there all handsome and debonair in his suit and tie, I nearly stopped breathing.**_

"_**Krasaveetsa," he murmured appraising my dress and hair. **_

"_**You don't look so bad yourself Comrade," I said winking. He hated when I called him that, but I was his princess and in his eyes I could do no wrong.**_

_**He handed me a beautiful bouquet of red calla lilies that matched my dress perfectly. He knew me well enough to know that I was definitely going to wear red and that if he got me roses, I'd kill him. They were common and I, Rosemarie Mazur, was anything but. Sometimes I wondered if Baia was big enough to hold me and all of my glamour. It certainly was a hole in the wall, but whatever. I loved Dimitri and as long as he was here, then that is where I belonged.**_

"_**Wait wait, photos before you leave," Baba said standing in the doorway with his camera. He was always such a sap. We smiled and posed and I hugged my father goodnight. He was not too happy to let Dimitri and I spend the weekend together, but he knew Dimitri would keep me safe and never do anything to hurt me so he'd agreed reluctantly.**_

"_**Don't wait up," I called as we hopped into the bed of Dimitri's truck. **_

"_**Behave yourself," Mason called out after Dimitri who smirked at him. The two were good friends and had graduated together. Mase always liked to threaten him that if he hurt me, he'd kill him. It was sweet of my brother, but Dimitri was a good six inches taller and had about seventy-five pounds on him.**_

_**We danced to every love song in the book and I couldn't get close enough to him. His aftershave smelled delicious and I couldn't wait to get him alone. There was nothing I wanted more than to spend the rest of my days wrapped up in his strong arms. **_

_**Instead of renting a sleazy motel room like the rest of our classmates, Dimitri had spent all day pitching a tent down by the lake. He made a fire and we spent hours making love under the stars. **_

"_**You are the most important person in the world to me Roza," he whispered as he held me tight inside our sleeping bag. **_

"_**I'm the luckiest girl on Earth," I replied kissing him softly. **_

_**End Flashback**_

My phone ringing snapped me back to reality.

"Hello," I answered.  
"Rose, where the hell are you?"

I winced in pain at her tone of voice.

"Geez Syd do you have to be so loud at this hour of the morning?" I asked.

"Morning? It's six o'clock in the evening," she scoffed. "Oh no! You're not where I think you are are you?"

I sighed before responding. "Yes, I'm in Baia and no Adrian doesn't know."

"Well that's fairly obvious since he told me a few hours ago that you were doing a shoot and I happen to know that there isn't a shoot going on right now and if there was, I'd be there."

"You didn't blow my cover did you?" I asked chewing my lip nervously.

"No, you're lucky I'm a damn good liar."

"I knew there was a reason we were friends," I said trying to lighten her up a little.

"Seriously Rose, what's going on? Should I be worried?"

"No, absolutely not. Everything is fine. I got roped into some family stuff, but I will definitely be home Sunday."

"Family stuff?" she questioned suspiciously. "Where exactly are you staying?"

"With a friend," I lied.

"Does this friend happen to be a certain husband of yours?" she accused. Damn I hated how well she knew me.

"No," I argued.

"I don't believe you. You're getting that high pitched tone that happens when you're nervous and lying."

"Fine, I am, but everything is fine. No need to worry. Just keep Adrian distracted and I'll be home soon," I told her hanging up.

I heard Dimitri stirring in the other room and I knew it was only a matter of seconds before he showed his face. I had no desire to see him after our fight last night. He'd actually accused me of being a bulimic, which I wasn't. Yes, I watched what I ate and had a trainer, but I rarely purged. I knew that even doing it occasionally was bad, but damn it, I had to keep my job. It was the only thing I'd ever accomplished in life and I wasn't going to lose it because Dimitri couldn't handle the new me.

"Dobre Utro Roza," he greeted me exiting the bedroom again without a shirt. I couldn't deny that he was absolutely gorgeous with his washboard abs and huge biceps. I shook my head trying not to think about how good looking he was. It didn't matter. Good looking or not when it came down to it, he let me down when I needed him the most.

"What's good about it?" I groaned pulling myself off the couch.

"It's always good when I get to see your beautiful face in the morning," he responded smiling brightly at me.

"Whatever, don't you ever have to go to work?" I asked wondering why he was home on a Tuesday morning.

"Not right now. It's winter," he said coming closer.

"So the factory is closed in the winter now?" I asked.

He chuckled at the perplexed look on my face.

"I don't work at the factory anymore."

"You don't?" I asked wondering how the hell he had gotten another job without a college education. It wasn't like there were many options in this town.

"No, I haven't in seven years," he responded, a dark look crossing his face.

"So you're just unemployed?" I asked thanking God, I'd gotten away before he lost his job.

"You would think that," he snorted ignoring my question heading into the kitchen. He was pissed, but what did I care?" Oh yeah, I still needed him to sign the papers.

"So if you're not going to work today, what are you doing?" I asked.

"I thought maybe you'd come with me to get a Christmas tree," he said hopefully. I had high suspicions that this was another one of his tricks. He knew how much I loved Christmas and he was purposely asking me to go with him because he knew I wouldn't be able to resist. Well he was dead wrong. I wasn't going to fall for his tricks this time. I was older and wiser and the new me could definitely resist going to the tree farm, or so I thought.

"No, I don't want to," I refused.

"What? You love tree shopping."

"Yes , I do, but I want to tree shop in New York with my fiancé for a tree that will go in our apartment," I said firmly.

He scowled at me. "Suit yourself," he said pulling out a box of cereal and pouring two bowls, pushing one towards me. Damn him, he needed to stop trying to take care of me.

I shook my head planting myself on the stool across from him knowing that if I didn't, he'd give me a hard time until I did and I didn't want to waste anymore time or energy arguing with him. It was pointless.

I finished my cereal, grabbed a banana and my coffee and headed in to take a shower and change my clothes. I was running out of things to wear and while I was searching through my bag Dimitri interrupted me.

"The clothes you left behind are in a plastic container in the back of the closet in the bedroom," he suggested.

"You saved them?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I'm crazy remember?" he said.

I walked into the bedroom and found the bin he was talking about. I held my breath as I opened it. I had only taken the essentials with when I left and majority of my clothing had been in the dresser. I removed several pairs of jeans, a few sweaters, my old cheerleading uniform and when I got to the bottom, my heart stopped beating. It was my junior prom dress. I ran my hand over the cool satin squeezing my eyes shut as memories of that night and its aftermath flooded back to me. I did not want to remember the consequences of that night. That night was what started our lives into a downward spiral that still affected us today. I quickly threw everything back into the bin and shoved it back in the closet.

"You didn't find anything?" he asked as I exited swiftly.

"Nothing I'd be caught dead in," I snapped.

"I'll just re-wear something and buy what I need tomorrow when I'm out with Vika."

"You know I do have a washer and dryer," he pointed out like the know it all he was. I ignored him and continued readying myself for the day, not that I had anywhere to be.

I had just finished getting dressed when there was a knock at the door. Well it wasn't just a knock, it was a persistent pounding.

"Are you going to get that?" I asked watching as he laced up his combat boots.

"Come in," he called in Russian.

My eyes widened as Ivan came in along with Christian, followed by my brother and Jill who was holding little Micah, who was all bundled up. The last person to enter was none other than my former BFF Lissa Dragomir.

"Rose?" she questioned a look of surprise on her face.

"Hey Liss," I said smiling at her.

She came forward slowly and I braced myself for a huge Lissa hug, but instead I was met with a painful slap to the side of my face. Well that was certainly unexpected, I thought clutching my cheek.

"What the hell Rose! Where have you been and why haven't you called or written or visited," she cried.

I reeled back a little still not believing timid little Lissa had slapped me.

"It's good to see you too Liss," I responded rubbing my cheek. Damn she hit hard.

"Is that all you have to say after missing every important event in your supposed best friend's life for the past seven years?"

"I'm sorry," I told her knowing that would never make up for it. Lissa and I had been friends since Kindergarten and before I left we shared everything. Unlike Dimitri and my father, she had bothered to track me down. She'd all but phone stalked the modeling agency I started out with leaving phone messages, e-mails and texting like mad. I was still horribly upset at the time and had given strict orders to the assistants to tell her I didn't work there and to stop calling. I know it was mean, but I didn't need any reminders of my past while I was trying to start over.

"Well I guess I can't stay too mad at you since you're here now," she said cracking a small smile. That was Lissa for you. She never could hold a grudge.

"So are we ready to go?" Mason asked.

"Actually we are, but Rose here has decided she's too good to go tree shopping with us small town folks," Dimitri said making sure to embarrass me as much as possible. I closed my eyes blowing out a breath of air. I opened them finding the entire room staring at me with hurt looks on their faces.

"Fine, I'll go shopping for a damn tree," I cried throwing my hands up in surrender.

"Yay!" Lissa squealed hugging me while jumping up and down enthusiastically.

"Don't make me regret this," I groaned taking my coat, hat, scarf and gloves from Dimitri who was grinning from ear to ear having suckered me into a day of what he considered fun.

Lissa and Christian rode with us, while Ivan hitched a ride with Mason and Jill.

"So what's with Sparky being invited along?" I whispered. Last I remembered he wasn't really friends with our group and he was sort of a badass loner. How he managed to become sheriff after lighting half the town on fire, which is why I nicknamed him Sparky, I will never know.

"Sparky?" she asked seemingly having forgotten our nickname for him.

"Yea, the pyro turned cop sitting right in front of us," I hissed.

"Oh, Christian you mean," she said blushing a little.

My eyes widened. "No way!" I cried. "You and Sparky!"

"You know I can hear you back there," he growled turning around to glare at us.

"Mind your business pyro," I said still wanting to know how the hell this happened.  
"Liss, I thought you and Aaron would be married by now with like six kids," I told her utterly shocked to find her ring finger unadorned.

"You missed a lot, Rose," she said sadly.

"What? Tell me," I asked feeling bad that I had put that look on her face.

"After you left Aaron went away to school and one weekend when I showed up to visit him as a surprise, I caught him in bed with some sorority girl," she said sticking out her tongue in disgust.

"Awww Liss, I'm sorry. I always thought he was too dumb to cheat," I said being frank.

"So did I,' she muttered.

"So then what you just decided to slum it with Sparky over there?" I asked.

"What? No, he's actually a really nice guy Rose. I was going through a rough time. My best friend abandoned me, my boyfriend cheated on me and then my dad has a heart attack and died," she said tearing up a little. "Christian was there for me. He helped me with my grief. We started talking when I went to the police station to file my dad's death certificate and I fell apart. We became friends and then these past two years we've been dating," she said smiling happily at him as he squeezed her hand from the front seat of the car.

"I'm sorry to hear about your dad," I said feeling like the worst person in the world for not taking her calls back then. I should have been there for her. She'd been nothing but supportive of me through everything that happened the year before I left.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Rose you don't look so good? Are you going to faint?" Lissa asked as it was just her and I in the small bridal room of Dimitri's church. She looked stunning in the long red gown I'd allowed her to choose, because I was too distraught to pick one myself. **_

"_**I can't do this Liss. I'm only seventeen. I don't think I can be married," I said leaning heavily against the wall which was hard to do in a foofy white dress. **_

"_**You can do this. You love Dimitri remember?" **_

"_**Of course I love him, but how am I supposed to know how to be a wife? I can't cook. I don't clean. I have no idea how to take care of bills or a house or anything. How did I get myself into this mess?" I groaned. **_

"_**Rose everything is going to be okay. Dimitri has a job and your dad is helping you get that house and things are going to be great, you'll see. I can help you learn to cook and it doesn't take too many brains to clean the house. You just need the right mop, broom and cleaning products." **_

"_**I don't want to be married senior year of high school," I sobbed. **_

"_**I know you don't sweetie, but it's for the best. You know what people will say if you don't marry him," she said shaking her head.**_

_**I nodded knowing it was worse to be in my situation without a husband and I did love Dimitri. It was just that we were both so young. **_

"_**I just hate not knowing if he would have proposed to me someday if Baba hadn't threatened him," I sniffled. **_

"_**That's an easy one," she said smiling. "The man is head over heels for you. He has been every since I can remember. You're the center of his universe. You know that. Everyone knows that. Trust me Rose, even though you're young, if anyone can make a marriage work, it's you two. You're kindred spirits." **_

_**She held my hand as I walked out of the bridal room to join my father at the end of the long aisle. I clutched onto his arm fighting the urge to vomit as everyone stood at my entrance. **_

_**End Flashback**_

"So what do you think of this one?" Dimitri asked as we mulled around the Christmas tree farm.

"I don't care," I muttered, my teeth chattering in the frigid temperature. After listening to Lissa talk endlessly about all of my fashion spreads and shows she'd been following via the internet for the past five years, I was grateful to be out of the car where we could spread out more. Unfortunately, Dimitri found me trying to duck out to go sit in a nice warm cabin and dragged me along behind him. Lissa and Christian had gone off to find their own tree and Jill and Mason had done the same.

"I think we should get this one," Ivan said holding up what could only be described as a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. It looked dead and had barely any needles. The ones that were left were turning brown.

"Absolutely not!" I said scoffing at his choice. "That one belongs in the chipper."

"Well how about this one?" Dimitri asked showing me an almost equally as scrawny tree.

"What are the two of you blind? There are like a hundred trees out here that are bigger and better than that one? What are you on a budget?" I cried putting my hands on my hips.

"Well if you think you can do better then go right ahead," Dimitri said challenging me.

"I don't think, I know I can do better," I said stomping over to the other side of the lot where the blue spruces were.

"Now these are gorgeous. There'll be enough room for everything, ornaments, tinsel, cranberries, popcorn, beads and candles," I said snapping a photo of the tree on my phone and scrutinizing it closely.

"Cut it down," I demanded looking at the two of them. Dimitri snickered and I glared at him. He wanted my help, then he was going to get it. "You heard the lady. Let's cut it down," Ivan said tossing his bag containing a saw onto the ground.

"I don't see any ladies around here," Christian snorted coming up behind us dragging their tree behind him.

"Shut up Sparky," I said punching his arm. Lissa just smirked.

I watched with fascination while Dimitri and Ivan shed their coats so their movements weren't so restricted and proceeded to cut down the enormous tree I requested. By the time they were finished both were sweating profusely and I had to admit that I was always more attracted to Dimitri immediately after he finished working out.

"You know you're drooling right?" Mason teased as he, Jill and little Micah joined us.

"I am not, you jerk," I cried shoving him away from me.

"Sure you are, you're just too stubborn to admit it," he said.

"Rosie!" Micah squealed squirming in Jill's arms, causing me to gasp.

"Did he just say my name?" I asked looking at my brother in confusion.

"Yes, he's quite the little chatterbox now that he's learned to talk. He only knows about twenty words, but we worked with him a little yesterday and showed him your picture a lot so he could say it," Jill beamed proudly at her son.

I gulped, moved by their gesture.

"Hi Micah," I said softly. "I'm your Auntie Rosie," I said still a little nervous about actually touching him.

"Let him hold your finger. He likes that," Jill urged. I took a deep breath and removed one of my gloves. Sure enough as I held out my index finger for him he grabbed a hold of it squeezing tight. He cooed and made what Jill called his happy noises as he continued to babble my name. I smiled. This wasn't so bad. I didn't want to touch him, but if I let him touch me, then it was different right?

**Wow almost 4,000 words. So what did you think of her and Lissa? What happened on Prom night? Next up will be shopping with Vika and a possible encounter with Abe. Do you think Adrian is at all suspicious? Should he pay a visit to Baia? **


	7. Chapter 7: New York Bitch

**Chapter 7: New York Bitch**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**So sorry to keep all of you waiting so long as I have had numerous requests for quicker updates. I apologize profusely. The ideas are coming quickly in my head, but a new medication I am trying has the lovely side effect of causing blurred vision and dizziness. It is very hard to focus on my computer when I can't see lol! I am switching meds and should be back with a vengeance in a week or two. Enjoy=)**

DPOV

I smirked at my best friend as he held up what had to the the loneliest most God awful looking tree in the entire lot. I knew exactly what he was doing. Rose was being stubborn and refusing to participate in the hunt for the perfect tree and having known her all his life, Ivan knew exactly how to bring out the Christmas Nazi in her.

I stifled a laugh as she scoffed at his choice. I decided to play along with his idea and grabbed an equally as bad tree. Just as I'd suspected, she couldn't keep out of it and began to boss us about leading us over to the other side of the lot where the good trees were. I had already known that and purposely steered her to this side hoping to entice her out of her grouchy mood. Ivan winked at me as she ordered us to cut down the tree she wanted. If there was any reason Ivan and I were best friends, it was because no matter what crazy thing I was trying to accomplish, he was right there beside me risking his sanity and his balls in this case to help me win Roza back.

It was hard work cutting down a tree and I knew I caught Rose ogling me a few times while we were working.

She and Lissa spent a little time reconnecting while Christian dropped her tree off at her house and Ivan and I fiddled with the tree stand.

"No, a little more to the left," she said breaking away from her conversation to scold us on proper tree placement.

"That way people can see it in the window when it is lit," she said matter of factly. Like I didn't know how to put up a tree, I thought rolling my eyes, but at least she seemed relaxed and almost happy. I think Lissa had a lot to do with that though. I could tell she really missed Lissa and she showed true remorse for not being there for her friend. If only I could get her to open up about our unresolved issues. We had a lot to discuss and when she was ready, I hoped we could clear the air and start fresh. I know that made me an idiot, but I really wanted her and this time I wasn't letting her walk out that door again.

I pulled out the old record player, which was covered in dust having sat for the past seven years along with all the rest of the Christmas stuff. I hadn't had the heart to put up a tree since she left. It just didn't feel right without her here to bug me with her stupid Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas record or dump buckets of tinsel all over the floor.

A strange look came over her face as I put on one of our old albums.

"Hey why don't we order a pizza and we can decorate the tree together," I suggested hoping that she'd agree because Lissa was here.

"Sounds good. Christian should be back soon," Lissa said looking at Rose for confirmation.

Much to my surprise, she didn't try to fight my suggestion agreeing readily.

"Uh, what type of pizza will you eat?" I asked her grabbing the menu for the only pizza place in town, Antonio's.

"Mushroom, onion, green pepper, pineapple and tomatoes," she rattled off. "And no cheese please."

Ivan made a face. "No cheese? What the hell kind of pizza is that?"

"Don't ask," I grunted heading over to place the order. I got two large cheese and sausage and a large what I was going to call "Rose Pizza".

"Mind if I try some of yours?" I asked nearly brushing my lips over her ear. She shuddered a little and I could tell I was getting to her.

"Not at all. You won't like it," she said snorting as she handed me a piece. It wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting it to be, but it definitely didn't taste like any pizza I'd ever had before.

"Don't they use eggs in the pizza crust?" Lissa asked after Rose had explained her special diet.

"Nope," she said munching on a piece of her pizza. "So what do you think?" she asked awaiting my approval.

I shrugged. "It doesn't taste bad. It just doesn't taste like pizza." In truth, I had no idea how she had given up pizza. She was a pizza addict. That and brownies. Those were her two absolute favorite foods.

Halfway through the meal Rose's phone began buzzing.

"I'm sorry. I have to take this," she said shooting out of her chair nearly knocking it to the ground in her haste to vacate the room. I had only one guess as to who was on the other end of the line.

"She sure was in a hurry. I'll bet that was her fiancé," Ivan joked. I glared at him and Lissa just looked down at her plate obviously having known Rose was engaged from reading the society column.

"He's not right for her," she said softly.

"She seems to think he is," I said sighing.

"She'll see. We just need to keep her here long enough. She knows where her heart belongs. Have a little faith," she encouraged. I sure hoped she was right. I didn't think I could handle it if I saw a photo of her as she married another man.

RPOV

"I know baby, it's hard for me too," I said trying to soothe my fiancé. He was not happy that I wasn't home yet and I would hate to have to explain where I was so I was trying my best to placate him for another few days.

"Just let me come to where you're doing the shoot. I miss you and I want to see your gorgeous face in person. I've got some time off work this week and I want to be with you."

"Babe, seriously it's not all that fun to sit and watch us do hair and make-up for hours upon hours just shoot a few photos that the agency ultimately rejects, just to change the color of my lipstick," I said trying to convince him he would be bored to death watching my shoot, which in reality didn't exist.

"Just tell me where you are," he asked. I was wondering if he was getting suspicious. He had never been this insistent before.

"I'm in Russia," I finally admitted hoping he wouldn't question me too much further.

"Russia? They're doing a photo shoot in Russia in the middle of winter, when it's twenty below?" he questioned skeptically. I slapped my forehead with the palm of my hand for not thinking of that before I blurted out my location.

"Facetime me," he said knowing I couldn't lie to his face. I was a really bad liar and I was surprised he bought the line of bull I'd been feeding him for the past few days.

I sighed and hit the button on my phone shutting myself up in the bathroom, praying that Lissa and Dimitri would leave me to my privacy for a few minutes.

I knew he would immediately notice that my face was make-up free and my hair was tied back in a messy windblown pony tail.

"Rose where are you really?" he asked after taking in my appearance.

I took a deep breath. "I'm in Siberia with my brother and his wife," I admitted shakily. At least that was half true. All I was leaving out was that I was staying at my old house with a man I was still married to and was begging him for a divorce.

"Why are they in Siberia?" he asked confused. "Wait you have a brother?"

"I do, his name is Mason and they live in Siberia because that is where I grew up," I told him wincing in anticipation of his reaction. He thought I was from Chicago.

He raised his eyebrows at me, but didn't say anything at first.

"I thought you muttered in Russian in your sleep," he mused. "So what's with the lies? Why didn't you just tell me you were going to see your family? I would have come with you."

"I know you would have and how wonderful you are, but I didn't want you to come. My family situation is beyond messed up, which is why I left and never looked back."

"I could be there to support you Rose. That's what a fiancé does. You're going to be my wife. I don't like the fact that you lied to me and that you're so far away and we're having this conversation on Facetime," he said in frustration. "For God's sake Rose, you left the country without telling me!"

"I'm sorry Adrian. I just didn't know how to explain. I came to New York to start fresh and I thought I'd left this all behind me, but I have some things I need to take care of and I swear I'll be back soon. Please don't be angry with me. I love you and I can't wait to be back where I belong," I said hoping he would forgive me and leave me to get things done. I did not want him to find out about the real reason I was here or that I lied and told him my father was dead.

"You know I can't stay mad at you," he said sensing how distressed I was.

"I know and I really am sorry. It's just that I have a very troubled past that I'm trying so hard to forget so I can be free of it and bringing you here is just going to stir up old memories that are better off buried," I told him.

"I know, I just really wish you would open up to me about whatever is troubling you. I know you hold things in and it isn't good for you or the well being of our relationship. I don't want us to have secrets Rose. I'm not that kind of guy. I know you asked me not to bring up your past and I've been very patient up until now, but if we're going to make it down that aisle then we're going to have to have a long honest conversation when you get back," he said in a very serious tone, which was so unlike him. I knew he meant business though. He was using the same voice he used with his clients.

"I know and I promise I will sit down with you and you can ask me anything you want, but can you please try to trust me? Everything is fine and I will be home soon."

He sighed. "I love you so much. I guess I don't have a choice," he said giving me a half smile.

"I love you too," I said blowing him a kiss before hanging up. I could only pray that one of his questions did not include asking if I'd been married before.

I exited the bathroom to find Lissa waiting for me.

"You know you used to be happy here with us," she said patting the side of the bed so I could sit next to her.

"That was a long time ago," I said declining her invite to talk. I knew it was rude, but I also knew that the more involved I became in the lives of the people I once called family and friends, the easier it would be to get trapped right back where I started and I wasn't going to let that happen.

"Look it was a nice thought to decorate the tree together, but I'm tired and I think I'm just going to take a bath and go to bed," I said apologizing to Ivan, Christian and Lissa. Dimitri gave me a wistful look, but nodded his head in my direction acknowledging my need for some time alone. That was new, usually he would pester me into telling him what was bothering me.

"Promise you won't leave without saying goodbye?" Lissa asked hugging me tightly.

I nodded giving her a small reassuring smile.

"You guys have fun," I said shutting myself up in the bedroom. I had no idea why, but I suddenly had the urge to bawl my eyes out. Tears flowed freely down my cheeks and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why. I was unhappy here. I hated it. This town and everyone in it were stifling my potential. If I hadn't left then, I never would have made it out. I took slow cleansing breaths regulating my breathing still choking back sobs. Truth was, although I didn't regret leaving, I had missed my brother and Lissa and now that I had seen them, I wasn't going to be able to continue to shut them out.

I heard Ivan and the rest leave a few minutes after I shut myself up in the bedroom. I knew I would have to vacate so Dimitri could go to sleep, but I was exhausted and this bed was so comfortable. I allowed myself to close my eyes for a second and I must have drifted off to sleep, because the next thing I knew Dimitri was knocking on the door and it was light outside.

"Roza, are you up? Vika is here," he called through the door. I sat up straight rubbing my eyes.

"I'm awake," I called out much to my utter shock my words came out in Russian. I'd definitely been here way too long.

I pulled off the comforter and stretched my legs staring down at my feet in confusion. I had gone to bed wearing boots and they were now missing. I also remembered being on top of the covers and now I was beneath them which meant Dimitri had snuck in, removed my boots and tucked me into bed, damn him.

I staggered out of bed nearly tripping over my boots as I made my way over to the mirror on the dresser.

I groaned as I took in the sorry state of my skin and hair. I needed a shower, a facial, a mud mask and a hot oil treatment stat. Unfortunately,the closest thing to a salon in this town was an old fashioned barber shop. Viktor was the only hair dresser in town and a horrid decrepit old man. I had no desire to see his knarled up face at this hour of the morning. I glanced down at the array of things that littered the dresser. There was a hairbrush, nail clippers, aftershave lotion and a few photos stuck into the sides of the mirror. I peered at them closer. Some were of Dimitri and his family, some were of him, Ivan and Mason, our wedding photo was there as well as a few other candid photos of the two of us. The one that stuck out to me the most though was the one tucked all the way at the bottom. I snatched it from its nearly hidden place wanting a closer look. My breath caught in my throat as I took in the family smiling back at me. I remembered the day it was taken and how happy we were. A tear slipped silently down my cheek as I brought the photo to my lips placing a gentle kiss on it before clutching it to my heart.

"I'm so sorry baby," I whispered.

"Roza? Are you okay in there?" Vika called startling me as she peeked in the door. I quickly wiped the tear from my eye and tucked the photo back where it belonged.

"I'm fine, I just need a few minutes," I called realizing I would have to break into the bin of clothes Dimitri had kept lest I leave the house smelling like Christmas tree farm.

I dug through the bin pulling out a black sweater and a jean skirt. Neither were very fashionable and I hoped no one would recognize me around here. I quickly tied my hair up into a bun, pulled on some tights, slipped into my boots and exited the room quickly.

"You look like hell," she commented from the breakfast bar where she was flipping idly through a magazine.

"Thanks for the compliment," I growled punching her arm playfully.

Dimitri looked up as I entered the room and gave me a weak smile.

"Coffee?" he asked vacating his seat so I could sit. He poured me a cup and set it in front of me along with some granola, fresh fruit and a handful of almonds.

"So where are we going?" Vika asked as I finished up my breakfast.

I shrugged. "I need clothes desperately. Tell me the stores have improved since I was last here."

She shook her head. "Nope, same old same old, but we did get a forever 21."

I sighed in annoyance. "I guess that will have to do."

"You girls have fun," Dimitri said smirking as I let his sister drag me out of the house.

"So you slept in the bedroom last night?" she commented waggling her eyebrows at me suggestively as she started the car.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, it isn't what you think."

Her face fell. "I just thought that since you were back and all and staying with Dimka that he would be able to sweep you off your feet and show you how much he's changed."

"Vika, it wasn't just about him. You know why I left."

"I know why you left, but I don't know why you stayed away so long. Roza we've all missed you, Mama, me, Lissa, your family and especially Dimka."

"Can we talk about something else?" I asked trying to steer her away from subjects I had no desire to revisit.

"Okay like what?" she asked.

"Well for starters, tell me about you. What have you been up to since I left?" If we talked about her, then we wouldn't have to talk about me.

"Did you go to college?" I asked.

"I did and I got my teaching degree. I teach the little ones three days a week. They're so precious," she said smiling brightly.

"Any love interests?"

"Actually yes. I've been seeing a really nice man named Nikolai for about a year now. He works for Dimka.

I nearly spit out the coffee I was drinking. "Dimitri works?" I asked.

"Of course he works. How do you think he affords to live?" she asked giving me a WTF look. "Wow you really have a low opinion of my brother. Shame on you Roza. He's not a lazy man. He's a hard worker. You know how hard he worked for you guys to keep that house while you were married. What's wrong with you? New York has made you into a Bitch!" I took a deep breath not wanting to start a fight with her after all she was just defending her brother.

By now we had reached the small shopping center and were sitting parked in the lot.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. He told me he doesn't work at the factory anymore and he hasn't gone to work since I've been here so I assumed he was between jobs."

"Well he isn't. Sonya got him a job working construction and in just five years he's moved up twice. He's head of some major projects now and often works out of Novosibirsk. He's laid off right now because of the bad weather, but come Spring, he'll be busy as a beaver."

"That's good. I'm glad he's doing so well. I want him to be happy," I said honestly. I didn't wish him any bad thoughts. He was genuinely a wonderful person and I wanted him to live a full and happy life.

"Roza, you say you want him to be happy, but you know that the only thing that truly makes him happy is being with you," she said opening the door to vacate the vehicle allowing a burst of blustery air to chill me as I sat there dumbfounded. Surely he'd been with other women who made him happy. He'd all but admitted to fooling around with numerous women in my absence. One of them had to be better suited for him than I was and I was determined to find one that was.

**Okay so I know I promised Abe in this, but it would be way too long. He's going to have his own chapter coming up. Some of you have come very close to guessing why Rose and Dimitri got married and why she left. Only one of you has been 100% on the dot right about both. Also, I take slight offense to people who have commented how I have no imagination. This plot differs quite a bit from Sweet Home Alabama if you continue to read. Yes it is based off of it, but loosely. If you don't like, don't read=) **


	8. Chapter 8: Horrible Daughter

**Chapter 8: Horrible Daughter**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**Happy Birthday to ME! I am updating just for you all today=) Enjoy**

RPOV

"What about this one?" Vika asked holding up another dress.

"Nope, too skanky," I said tossing it out of the dressing room into the huge heap of rejects. This store was seriously not working for me.

"You know you are quite the picky one," she tisked bringing me a few more options.

"This one might work," I told her opening the door to the fitting room so she could see. It was a short red dress held up by one shoulder strap. It was irridecent and slightly too young for me, but that was the best I was going to do in this crap town.

"Wow, that one is just gorgeous on you," she whistled. "Dimka isn't going to recognize you in that." I sighed regarding my reflection in the mirror. I did look good in this dress. Too good. The idea was to get Dimitri to forget about me and move on with someone else. This was definitely not going to help.

I ended up buying the dress anyway for the party on Saturday. I also bought a pair of leggings, two long sweaters, a belt and a pair of skinny jeans. That should last me the rest of the week until I could get home to my real clothes.

"So what other stores should we look in?" she asked as we made our way through the crowds.

I shrugged. "I need to find a necklace and some earrings to go with the dress and maybe some shoes," I told her.

"Yes, I definitely need shoes to go with my new dress," she agreed.

"So tell me about Dimitri and Tasha," I asked as we made our way towards the shoe store. I wanted to know everything about this girl Jill had mentioned. Maybe she could be the one to finally free me from this marriage. If only I could get his mind off of me and onto her.

"Tasha? Oh she has it bad for Dimka. They dated a little last year, but he's not that into her. I could never understand why though. She's very pretty and a good cook, but he ended things with her after only a few months. She really likes him and she doesn't give up easily that's for sure. Every time she sees him, she has some different problem in her apartment that she needs him to fix and being the nice guy that he is, Dimka helps her out. "

I listened to her drone on a little more about how nice this Tasha was and found out that she worked at the corner grocery store. I guess I would be paying a visit there later today.

Two hours and ten shops later we plopped down at a table in the eatery utterly exhausted. "Wow you really know how to power shop," she groaned rubbing her ankles with a grimace on her face.

"Comes with having to change my clothes ten times a day."

"And having unlimited credit lines," she grumbled.

"Money can't buy happiness Vika," I told her truthfully.

"Roza, did you really mean those things you said in Glamour?" she asked causing me to choke on the pretzel I was currently eating. I had high hopes that my friends and family back home had long since forgotten about me and wouldn't be tempted to read any articles or interviews I gave.

"Vika, I wanted to start fresh. I haven't told anyone about my past and I certainly wasn't going to broadcast it in a magazine," I explained.

"I know, but you changed your name, said you didn't have any family, claimed to be from Chicago and denied being married to my brother. That's a whole bunch of lies. I mean saying your father is dead isn't very nice especially after what you put him through."

"I know, but believe me it's for the best."

"I don't believe that. You ran away. You didn't give yourself time to heal and you certainly didn't give us a chance to be there for you. You left so quickly. I don't think you realize the damage you caused."

"Damage? You think I caused the damage? I didn't ask for any of that to happen. I made one stupid mistake on prom night and I paid for it. Hell, I'm still paying for it," I cried tossing the rest of my pretzel on the tray having lost my appetite.

"It wasn't a mistake Roza," she said softly.

"It was for me," I said standing abruptly. "Are you ready to go?" I was done talking about this.

"No, I have to make a stop at the toy store. There's a new action figure out that I promised Paul I would get for him and I don't want them to sell out."

I nodded following her in the direction of the toy store. I browsed the aisles and I couldn't help getting choked up as I passed by all of the things a seven year old boy would play with. I took a deep breath and forced myself to focus on something productive.

"Do you suppose I should get something for Micah?" I asked. Now that I knew about my brother's child, there was no way I could forget him at the holidays. It wouldn't be right. I wanted to make amends with my brother and hopefully at least keep in touch by phone and e-mails.

"I'm sure Mason would be touched that you want to be a part of your nephew's life," she said smiling at me. As I turned the corner to where the toys for younger children were I saw an elderly man in a wheel chair reaching out for a train set that was set up on a high shelf. He was straining and I could tell he was in pain. I wondered why he was here by himself and where his family was. Surely there was someone here to take care of him.

"Here, let me get that for you sir," I told him in Russian as I reached for the train. His clothing reminded me a little of my father and I again wondered why his family wasn't here helping him shop. I handed the toy to him and he thanked me.

"Are you alone?" I asked being nosy as I snooped around trying to locate a family member or friend that could help him.

"No, my sister is around here somewhere," he said. "Can you help me turn around?" It must have been hard for him to maneuver himself in such a small aisle.

"Of course I can," I told him. He seemed like such a sweet old man. I wheeled him around to face me and reeled back in shock as I took in his familiar features.

"Baba?" I gasped dropping the bags that were in my seemed just as taken aback as I was at first, but then realization of my identity dawned on him.

"Rosemarie? Is that you kizim?" he asked in Turkish squinting at me through his glasses.

"Baba, what happened to you?" I cried taking in his haggard appearance. My father had always been a very handsome man. He was tall, had beautiful wavy black hair and was always dressed to the hilt in a fancy suit and scarves. Now his face looked aged far beyond his 49 years, his hair had become nearly all grey and he was confined to a wheel chair. He still had on his flashy scarves and suit, but he was just a shadow of the man I remembered.

"It isn't important. What is important is that you are home," he said opening his arms for me to come to him. I sank to my knees embracing him tightly inhaling the familiar scent of his aftershave.

"My little girl has finally come home," he cried holding me close as he wept tears into my hair.

"Baba I'm sorry," I sobbed. "I'm so sorry." I had never meant to hurt him this way and I couldn't believe I'd stayed away so long. If I had bothered to call home just once, maybe I would have known how sick he had become or even worse, what if he was sick because I left? The guilt began to eat away at me as I continued to hold onto my father for dear life. I never in a million years imagined anything bad happening to him.

We must have looked a spectacle crying in the middle of a toy store and when we finally let go of each other I realized we had an audience. Viktoria was standing next to my Aunt Oksana, who did not look surprised to see me here. I rose to my feet wiping the tears from my eyes and then took baba's scarf and did the same for him replacing his specs after.

"Rose, it's good to see you," Aunt Oksana said stepping forward to give me a tentative hug. "Why don't we all get out of here and go back home where we can talk properly," she suggested.

I nodded knowing that setting foot back in my house after all these years would be difficult, but I had to know that Baba was going to be alright. The sight of him so downcast and weak frightened me. He used to be so viril and almost menacing. I'd thought for sure his first words upon seeing me would be ones of anger instead of tears of joy.

"I'll let you guys get reacquainted," Vika said bowing out gracefully. "Call me later?" I nodded programming her number into my phone.

"Wait!" I told them as Oksana moved to wheel Baba from the store.

"Is this for Micah?" I asked holding up the train set he had been reaching for.

He nodded looking at me in surprise. I guess I had a lot of explaining to do.

"Let me get it for him," I said heading towards the register. After making my purchase I joined them as we made our way out to the car.

"Mark told me there were rumors of you being home," Oksana said as she loaded my father into her van.

"It's a long story," I told her as she shut the door.

The ride was short and when we arrived at the house, I took a deep breath and helped her get my father out of the car.

Walking back through the door after seven years was surreal. Nothing had changed, not even the smell. Emil our housekeeper must still work for Baba because I could smell fresh baked pies that had probably come straight from the oven as we passed the kitchen.

"Would you like some tea?" Okasana asked after Baba was settled into his favorite chair in the sitting room.

"I would love some tea," I told her. She left to arrange it and I was left standing awkwardly alone with my father.

"Come sit by me Kizim," he requested pointing to the chair next to him. I set down my purse and complied with his wish. A quick glance around the room told me that he had been in that chair a long time. His desk looked untouched and his usual computer equipment was absent from the room leading me to believe that he was no longer working.

"Are you ailing?" I asked breaking the silence.

"The only thing that ails me is not knowing what happened to my little girl all these years," he said sadly.

"You knew where I was," I told him knowing he had to have seen photos of me at some point.

"That I did, but you left like a thief in the night. No goodbye, no explanation, just left us and that poor boy hanging. I didn't raise you to be like that," he stated. "I'm disappointed in you Rosemarie. Family used to mean something to you," he scolded me.

I hung my head in shame. "I didn't mean for it to be like this," I whispered. "I just needed to get away from here and all the memories."

"Kizim, I know you had it rough and believe me, I could kick myself for not setting stricter boundaries for you, but we are your family. We would never abandon you. You're brother was beside himself and if I'm not mistaken, that husband of yours didn't fair very well after you left. Why did you stay away so long?" he asked.

I shook my head. "The longer I was gone, the easier it was to forget," I said ashamed of myself for being so selfish. I had wondered earlier where his family was and why they weren't helping him and I finally realized the selfishness of what I had done not only to Dimitri, but to my family as well. Baba could have died and I wouldn't have known. He was ailing and in pain and I wasn't there for him. After all he'd done for me, I'd abandoned him when he needed me. I was a horrible daughter.

"I know you had it hard little girl, but life isn't easy. You can't run away every time things get tough," he said taking my hand in his.

I sniffled a little wondering how he had come to be in the wheel chair. He didn't seem to want to talk about it though.

"I assume you are here for a divorce," he said sipping his cup of tea that Oksana had brought in.

"I am," I told him.

"He won't let you go without a fight," he mused.

"There's nothing left to fight for. I've changed. I'm not the girl he fell in love with back then."

"Maybe not, but that kind of love doesn't just die. I could see it in you then and I see it in you now. I would never have forced a marriage if I thought you two were wrong for each other. Belikov is a good man, but you didn't give him a fair chance. Things may not have turned out the way you expected, but that boy still has a hold on your heart. If he didn't you would have found another way to end the marriage. You haven't fallen out of love, you're just afraid of it. You're hiding behind this new career and your new man. It won't please you in the end."

I gulped. "You know about Adrian?"

"My dear, I may be confined to this god forsaken chair, but my brain is still in tip top shape," he said raising his eyebrow at me from underneath his glasses.

"You're wrong. I don't still love Dimitri," I argued. "You know we only got married because you threatened him."

"So you think if I hadn't forced his hand that the two of you would have parted ways? Is that it?" he asked.

"I don't know and sadly I never will, but we were young. Seventeen and nineteen are far too young to know what you want in life."

"Ah yes, but here you are twenty-five years old and still you don't know what you want."

"That isn't true. I know exactly what I want. I want a divorce so I can start my real life with my real true love."

"I can see you are still just as stubborn as you were at seventeen," he mused stroking his beard.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you," I apologized again.

"It isn't the job of a child to be there for their parent. It is the job of a father to take care of his child and I failed you. I should have insisted on getting you some therapy right away and maybe you would have pulled through it," he said shaking his head.

"Baba, no amount of therapy was going to help me after that day. I needed to be on my own for a while. I needed to find my own strength."

"Are you about done? I want my daughter back."

"I can't promise to stay here Baba. You know it isn't good for me, but I can promise to visit and to keep in touch."

"I guess that is all an old man can expect when his daughter is a supermodel," he chuckled lightly. "Although I do wish you would do some ads where you were wearing actual clothing," he muttered finishing up his tea.

"Yes, you have done quite well for yourself," Oksana, who had remained silent to this point, commented.

I smiled. "It has it's perks."

"So you're getting married eh?" Baba asked.

I nodded. "He's a very good man, Baba. I love him a lot."

"I'd like to meet him," he requested sending my heart leaping into my throat.

"Isn't he here with you?" Oksana asked.

I sighed shaking my head. "No, he isn't."

"You haven't told him about Dimitri?" she guessed. I shook my head in negation.

"It's just my humble opinion, but it isn't good to begin a marriage built on a lie," she counseled. "If he's such a good man, he will understand your past."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," I told her hoping to God he never found out.

It was beginning to get dark and I knew I should be getting home. "I should call Dimitri for a ride ," I said rising to my feet.

"I can take you on my way home," Oksana volunteered.

"How long are you in town for?" Baba asked, knowing me well enough to know I wasn't going to stick around forever.

"Until Sunday. I got roped into the Belikov family Chrismas party."

Baba nodded and smiled at me. "I see," he responded. "I will be there as well. Will you come to me again before you leave?" he asked hopefully.

"I won't leave without saying goodbye again," I promised hugging him tight. "Seni Seviyorum Baba," I whispered kissing his cheek.

"Same to you little girl."

I shivered as we left the house and walked into the bitter cold night.

"He had a stroke," Oksana said as she started the car.

"When?" I asked biting my lip.

"A few months after you left," she admitted quietly.

"It was my fault," I choked.

"No sweetie, it wasn't. He was upset about the whole ordeal and you know how he has high blood pressure and he never slept right and he ate poorly. He also worked way too hard and drank far too much. The stress of that year got to him. It was no one's fault."

As much as she tried to reassure me, I knew that if I hadn't been so careless, none of this would have happened.

**So Abe had a stroke and he thinks Rose is still in love with Dimitri. Next we will hear from Dimitri. Do you think Rose is scared and hiding or is she really done with him and wants to move on? How do you think her setting Dimitri up with Tasha is going to work out? Will Adrian stay home and sit on the sidelines or is he going to get antsy and come and get her? **


	9. Chapter 9: Let's Make a Deal

**Chapter 9: Let's Make a Deal**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**Caution***** This chapter contains some scenes that may be disturbing to some people. **

DPOV

I looked at the tiny sweater in my hand wondering how the hell Rose would fit into it. It looked like it was made for a five year old. I had washed her clothes in hopes of her not being so ornery about having nothing to wear. I knew she would find something to tide her over while out with my sister, but I also knew from the looks of the designer labels she normally wore, that she wouldn't be pleased with any of the stores we had here in Baia.

"I think I did something wrong," I muttered as I held up the rest of her things that also had a similar shrunken, misshapen look to them. I sighed knowing she was going to kill me when she found out what I had done.

I dialed my mother's phone number in hopes that she would have a fix for this. Maybe I needed to stretch them out somehow.

"What is the material and what are the instructions on the label?" she asked. I hadn't even thought to look at that. I was a master at laundry, wash, dry, fluff and fold. I had been doing it for years. I even knew to separate the lights from the darks.

"I don't know, I can't read them," I told in frustration.

"Are they worn out?" she asked.

"No, they're not in English or Russian," I told her trying to decipher what language I was trying to read. Maybe I could Google it. I typed the foreign words into my computer. "Wool, angora and mohair," I told her.

"Oh Dimka, you didn't put those in the washer did you?"

"I did," I admitted.

"And the dryer?" she asked. Again I told her yes. "Those materials are supposed to be dry clean only," she replied. "You have to take them to the tailor."

"Shit," I muttered as I realized I'd just ruined all of Rose's clothes beyond repair.

I decided the best thing to do was to come clean about it, but when I heard the door slam around five, I changed my mind quickly stuffing her things back in her bag. She did not sound like she was in a good mood.

"Dimitri!" she called.

"In the kitchen," I told her as I had begun getting dinner ready.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me my father had a stroke!" she shouted accosting me without so much as a pleasantry.

I took a deep breath entirely unprepared for this conversation. I had no idea she'd find out about Abe today. Mason hadn't told her the other day like I thought he would have so I thought I was safe at least for the time being.

"You didn't want to see him, so I figured you wouldn't care," I said unaware of the wrath I was about to bring upon myself.

"He's my father! Of course I care!" she cried. "I can't believe you let me stay here for days and never once brought it up!"

"Yes, once again everything is my fault," I growled becoming a little angry myself. "You act like you're a saint in all of this and I'm the devil."

"Well you are!" she countered. "You're holding me hostage here and are keeping secrets from me about my family," she accused.

"Oh right like it's my fault you left without telling him good bye. It's my fault you stayed away for seven years without calling, writing or bothering to see what was going on back here. You haven't changed at all Rose. You still can't admit your wrongdoings or take responsibility for your own problems. Nothing is ever your fault," I ranted.

"Is that an accusation? Just say what you really mean. You know you want to!" she screamed.

"You know that isn't what I was insinuating so don't put words in my mouth!"

"Whatever! I just want to get out of here. Sign the damn papers so I can be through with you!" she shouted slamming the envelope on the table in front of me.

"You'd like that wouldn't you? If I sign those today, then you can high tail it out of here before your boyfriend finds out about everything you've been hiding from him. Well guess what sweetheart, not going to happen. You promised Mama you'd stay until after the party and that's what you're going to do."

"I hate you," she cried shoving the chair out from under the table so hard that it fell over and knocked the one next to it down as well. She then grabbed the vase in the middle of the table and I barely ducked out of the way in time as she lobbed it at me. I cringed as it crashed and broke all over the cabinet behind me.

"I know you think you do, and that's fine. Hate me all you want. It won't change things Roza! It won't bring him back," I cried grabbing her shoulders and shaking her a little. She needed to get it through her head. What happened was no one's fault and running away hadn't helped anything. She began to quiver and shake and I knew I'd made a big mistake, but it was too late to take back what I said.

"You shut your mouth. Don't you even talk about that! You have no idea! You weren't there!" she cried breaking down into sobs. "You weren't there!" I caught her in my arms as she fell to the ground unable to control her emotions.

"I hate you for not being there," she cried pounding her fists on my chest. My heart broke at the pain and horror's she'd suffered and I wanted so much to take away her agony, but I didn't know how.

"I know you do and that there isn't anything I can do to make up for what I did, but Roza, I'm sorry. You have to know that. There isn't a day that passes that I don't grieve for the things we've lost. You have to understand that if I could go back in time and fix things, I would do it in a heartbeat," I said attempting to pull her into my arms for comfort. I needed it as much as she did.

"If I could go back and change things, I'd go back to the day we met and walk the other way," she growled bitterly, recoiling at my touch. She pulled herself to her feet and hurried from the room leaving me dumbfounded and heartbroken kneeling in the middle of the kitchen.

**Flashback**

"**Roza?" I called frantically as I threw the car in park and flew out of the car leaving the engine running and the door open. I had received a frantic call while I was at work from my father in law insisting I return home immediately and I was beyond worried. There were police cars and an ambulance surrounding the house and I could hear Roza screaming.**

**I busted through the front door to find Abe holding Rose back as she screamed and cried out hysterically clawing at him to let her go.**

"**No, please you have to save him!" she cried. "Please, he's my baby!" she wailed. **

**My heart leapt into my throat at the thought that something had happened to our son. **

"**What's going on?" I demanded. **

"**Rose looked at me and I could see the heart brake all over her face.**

"**Where is he? What happened?" I asked needing to know what had happened to my son. She didn't say anything she just sobbed harder while Abe tried to comfort her. The look on his face told me I wasn't going to like what I was about to see, but I had to do it anyway.**

"**Belikov don't," he warned as I broke past the police officer that was preventing me from entering our son's room. **

**The sight before me was one I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Three paramedics swarmed around his tiny body as they preformed artificial respiration. He was still and he wasn't the right color and a part of me knew that they were only working on him for Roza's sake. I was nearly sick as they stopped what they were doing giving up on my son's life. The sound I heard next would be forever imprinted in my memory. **

"**Time of death two-thirteen am."**

**I was in such shock that I barely heard my wife's hysterical shrieking as I sunk to my knees cradling his little blue body in my arms fighting off the paramedics who told me I couldn't touch him. **

"**He's my son!" I growled daring any one of them to try to take him out of my arms. I sat there holding him until they forced me to let him go. Abe released a hysterical Roza into my arms and I held on to her for dear life as we watched our son be taken away in a body bag. That was one thing no parent should ever have to witness. **

**End Flashback**

The stir fry burning in the pan on the stove brought me back to reality and as I scraped the remnants of our burnt dinner into the trash, I marveled at how much it looked like my life right now.

She locked herself up in the bathroom and refused to come out, so after cleaning up the broken glass and fixing dinner again, I left a plate for her in the refrigerator and trudged to the garage to grab my work boots. I had things to get done around here before bed and I'd already wasted enough time trying to get her to listen to me tonight. I'd try again in the morning because let's face it, I'm a martyr.

I'd just finished clearing the snow from around the garage when I saw headlights in the driveway.

"Where are you going?" I called out as I saw Rose exit the house, wearing her coat, hat and gloves. My eyes widened as I took in the sight of her overnight bag in her hand.

"To the airport," she called.

"What?" I cried dropping my shovel jogging towards where she was standing.

"My father was right. If you won't give me a divorce, I'll bet there's another way around it and I'm going to find it," she said getting into the car I now recognized as Lissa's.

"Wait, Roza, please let's just go inside and we can talk about it," I pleaded.

"Sorry, you had your chance to make this nice and easy," she replied. "Goodbye Dimitri."

I ran towards the car at full speed hoping to stop her, but I wasn't fast enough on all the ice and snow and for the second time, I watched the love of my life drive away from me.

"No, no no this can't be happening," I shouted kicking the porch so hard that icicles came flying off the roof nearly missing my head.

I picked up my phone deciding that I wasn't letting her go this time. I needed reinforcements.

RPOV

"Rose, that was mean," Lissa said clucking her tongue at me as we pulled out of the driveway.

"Eh, he deserved it. He's been really stubborn about signing the papers and he's invented a million and one ways to try and keep me here because he thinks he can win me back, but it's not going to happen. I hate to see him like this. He needs to move on like I have."

"Right, but letting him think you're leaving is just cruel Rose. Did you see the look of devastation on his face?"

"He's going to have to face the facts at some point. I'm marrying Adrian whether he signs the papers or not."

"Rose you know how hard it is to get a divorce if he doesn't cooperate. It could take years."

"I know," I said slouching in my seat. It was the reason I wasn't leaving for real. I was just fed up and sick and tired of his games. Him bringing up that night was a low blow. I knew he blamed me for what happened and I didn't blame him. I blamed myself too. It was one of the reason's I had to leave. I couldn't face him everyday knowing that he was sitting there hating me for all of my mistakes. He would never come right out and say it, but I knew he was thinking it.

"You could be a little nicer to him and maybe he'd sign them," she suggested.

"Tell me the truth," I said wanting to know straight up what I was dealing with. "He's never going to sign them is he?" I asked bracing myself for her response.

She shook her head. "Fraid not," she said sympathetically.

"What am I going to do?" I asked putting my head in my hands. "I can't go back to New York without these papers signed."

"Did you ever think that maybe the two of you should sit down and talk about what happened? I mean maybe if you explained to him why you don't want to be with him, he would finally be able to move past this. All you've done so far is yell and scream and run away. You really should resolve things anyways for both of your sakes. Neither of you can truly move on until you've talked things out and given yourselves some closure."

"I don't want to talk about it Liss, it's too painful and even if we did have a heart to heart or whatever, it still isn't going to change my mind. I want a divorce and he doesn't. The way I see it we're at an impass."

"Yep and you're both being stubborn asses," she said with a grin. Only Lissa could get away with saying that to me without getting bitch slapped.

"So where are we going?" she asked. I had called her a half hour ago and told her I needed to get out of the house for a while.

"I dunno is the bar still around?" I asked.

"Sure, it's still there. Hasn't changed a bit. We could head over and have a few beers," she said turning down the street that led to our old high school hangout.

I was so going to need more than a few beers to get out of the mood I was in.

DPOV

"What do you mean she isn't on that flight?" I asked pissed as hell at the lady at the counter.

"Sir please don't yell at me. I've checked three different names for you and I'm telling you there is no passenger by the name of Rosemarie Mazur, Rose Hathaway or Roza Belikova anywhere in my computer," she said in a tone that said she was about this close to calling security on me.

"Thank you," Ivan told her dragging me away from the counter before I got us both thrown out on our asses.

"I don't understand. Maybe she paid them to tell me that," I said wondering how much money one would have to give an attendant to bribe them.

"D, I think you need to face the facts. She duped you," he said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?" I growled not amused.

"Well, she said she was leaving, but there is no record of her flying out. She came here so you would sign the divorce papers and you haven't and she promised too many people she wouldn't leave until after the party on Saturday. My guess is that she and Lissa are out having a good old time while you and I are stuck here pacing the airport like lunatics all night."

"Damn her!" I cursed. "Of course that was her plan. She wanted to get away from me for the night and for some payback she'd sent me on a wild goose chase.

"D, I'm surprised at you. You're really out of practice. I mean don't you remember all the shit she pulled on you in high school?"

I grimaced remembering how she would get annoyed when I'd call and ask her where she was and she'd give me some wild story about how she was stranded at a bus stop in Novosibirk and like an idiot, I'd drive out there to get her only to get a text with a photo of her and Lissa camped out in the Dragomir's basement watching chick flicks laughing their asses off at my stupidity.

"She's going to pay for this," I muttered picking up my phone.

"Hey Christian. I need a location on your girlfriend," I said hoping he would come through.

I smiled as I heard the noises in the background.

"Thanks buddy," I said hanging up.

"He told you where they were?" Ivan asked skeptically.

"He told me they went to the movies," I replied heading out towards the parking lot.

"So we're going to the movies?" he asked.

"Nope, we're going to the bar."

"How is getting drunk going to help us find Rose?" he asked confused.

I shook my head. "Rose is at the bar."

"I thought you said he told you they were at the movies."

"He did," I said climbing into my truck.

"Then why are we going to the bar?"

"Ivan, get with the program. You know Lissa has Christian wrapped around her pinky. He lied about where they were because she told him to."

"That still doesn't explain where they are," he said.

"That's easy. When I called I heard the pinball machine at the bar in the background and if Christian is at the bar, then so are Lissa and Rose," I said.

"Geez and you want this girl back because?"

"Because she's the love of my life and I'm not letting her go."

RPOV

"Do you think he's figured out that you were bluffing yet?" Lissa asked as we sat at the bar her with a beer and me with a shot of vodka on the rocks.

"Oh I'm sure that he and Ivan have been at the airport," I snickered. "Serves him right for being such a stubborn ass."

"Roza, you're not being very nice," Karolina, who was working tonight, said stepping up to bat for her brother.

"That's the whole idea. Asking nicely didn't work. Begging and pleading didn't work. Coming to Russia didn't work, so the only thing left is to make his life so damn miserable he'll want to get rid of me," I said throwing back the rest of what was in my glass and demanding another.

She rolled her eyes at me. "You know I'm not taking sides here and while I do agree that my brother is getting what he deserves for being so bullheaded, you are being a little antagonistic. He's endured quite the hardship in his life and losing you made him just a little bit unbalanced so don't say I didn't warn you," she said pouring me another shot.

"Thanks for the advice, but I know Dimitri pretty well and I think I still know how to handle him," I said putting my glass to my lips.

"I see you still know how to take a shot." Dimitri's voice scared the hell out of me from behind causing me to choke on my drink.

"I see you've found your way out of the airport," I snorted ignoring his comment.

"I see you're still here being bitchy as ever," he said planting himself in the seat right next to me.

"Give me a cup of coffee and a water will you Karo?"

"Coffee?" I asked giving him a look.

"Sure, someone is going to have to drive your drunk ass home later," he snarked.

"Who says I'm going home with you?"

"Milaya, believe me, you can hardly resist me when you're sober, but when you're intoxicated, you're all over me like cheap perfume," he breathed in my ear.

"You're a pig," I cried shoving him away from me.

"A few more shots and you'll be singing a different tune," he said with a cocky grin.

"We'll just see about that," I countered determined to prove him wrong.

"Who's up for a game of darts?" Christian asked coming over and joining us.

"Not me," I grumbled hoping Dimitri would get bored of me ignoring him and go away.

"I would love to play and so would Roza," he said pulling me out of my chair.

"I so would not," I growled.

"If I do remember correctly Rose here was always gloating about beating me in darts. I think this calls for a little challenge."

"No way, I'm not playing," I said crossing my arms in defiance.

"I'll make you an offer you can't refuse," he insisted.

"And what would that be?" He had nothing I wanted.

"If you win, I'll sign the papers right here right now," he said looking me straight in the eye. I inhaled sharply.

"And if you win?" I asked suddenly interested in this.

"When I win, you give me until Russian Christmas to win you back."

"What good will that do you if I'm in New York?" I asked wondering if he'd suddenly lost his mind.

"That's easy. I'll come with you." My eyes widened in surprise. That was so not something he would do, would he?

"Take it or leave it Milaya, but don't say I didn't offer," he said ready to walk away.

I sucked in a breath of air contemplating my chances of winning. He was good, but I was better. I'd always beaten him in the past. This time though he was completely sober and I'd had three shots of Vodka.

"What's the matter Rosie? Are you chicken?" Christian taunted holding up the darts.

"No, I am not chicken," I said making the resolve that this was my best shot at getting him to sign those papers. "Give me those darts," I said grabbing them out of his hand.

"So we have a deal then?" Dimitri asked holding out his hand.

"We do, but you'd better keep your end of the bargain," I muttered.

"Oh I'm fully prepared to do so. The question is are you?"

"Rose, are you sure you want to do this?" Lissa asked nervously.

"What, of course. This should be a piece of cake. I've whipped his butt at darts more times than I can count," I said.

"I know, but you're kind of drunk," she said.

"I'm fine," I said hoping I meant it. I could usually hold my liquor pretty well, but I hadn't eaten dinner and I was definitely feeling the buzz.

"Who goes first?" Christian asked.

"Let's flip a coin," Dimitri suggested.

**So those of you who guessed miscarriage were 100% wrong. That would have been way too cliche, plus she wouldn't have run away and never looked back because of that. It was way way worse than that. How do you think he died? What do you think of the deal? Let's take a vote to see who wins. As always review and tell me what you think=)**


	10. Chapter 10: Intoxicated

**Chapter 10: Intoxicated**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

DPOV

This was so going to be a piece of cake, I thought trying hard to maintain a straight face as Rose practiced aiming at the dartboard. She had lost the coin toss and had to go first. She was slightly intoxicated and I could tell she was off balance. While it was true that she was good at darts and that she always beat me, it was also true that I was better and had always let her win. I was one hundred and ten percent confident that I would beat her especially after she'd been drinking. She may have been able to take a shot like a man, but she never could hold her liquor.

"Okay three darts and highest score wins," Christian said handing her the first dart.

She closed one eye and aimed letting the dart fly out of her hand with miraculous precision for someone who had imbibed three shots of vodka.

I watched nervously as she hit the outer ring of the bull's eye earning twenty-five points.

"Sure you still want to play Comrade?" she asked grinning at me as if she had already won the bet.

"I never back out of a bet Roza, you know that," I told her. I held my breath hoping for her to falter, but was unpleasantly surprised that she managed to hit the triple ring for the number fifteen giving her forty-five more points. I was beginning to sweat wondering if I could truly go through with what I had agreed to if she won. I could always refuse to sign them again, but that would only make her more furious and wouldn't help me win her back, but then again neither would giving her a divorce.

"Last shot Rosie, don't fuck it up," Christian teased.

"Shut up Sparky," she snapped.

"You'd better hope she does or you're screwed," Ivan mumbled.

I forced myself to watch as she threw her third and final dart cringing as she hit the bulls eye dead on earning her fifty more points for a total of one hundred and twenty.

"Beat that Comrade," she said as she and Lissa did their happy dance. She called to one of the bar tenders ordering another shot of vodka.

"This one is for celebrating our divorce," she whispered not so quietly as she hiccupped in my ear.

"You haven't won yet," I reminded her.

"Aww Comrade, you're so cute," she said pinching my cheek. "You actually think you have a chance. Remember I've seen you play before and trust me you're not that good. No one will blame you if you back out now or fake a cramp."

Her lack of confidence in me fueled my need to win and gave me the courage I needed to take back what I wanted. I stepped forward grabbing the shot from her hand downing it in one gulp.

"Thanks for the confidence, but I'll be just fine," I told her reading myself to win the bet.

"Your turn D," Ivan said handing me the darts. I had played a lot of darts in my life, but the stakes had never been higher than they were right now and the thought of losing her forever was making my hand quiver.

I took a deep breath and attempted to drown out all of the sounds around me. I put my hand forward aiming directly at the twenty and let go. I relaxed a little as it hit the triple ring giving me sixty points. All I had to do was get sixty-one more and I was golden. I aimed the second dart and grimaced as it slipped out of my sweaty palm missing the twenty mark giving me only one point.

"This is in the bag. Look at him, he's so nervous, he's sweating his balls off," Rose snorted. I tried not to let her get to me as I had one more shot at this. If I could hit the sixty I would have one hundred and twenty-one points and I'd have twenty-seven days to win her back. If I missed not only would I lose her, but suffer a public humiliation as well.

"Don't blow this one D or it's over," Ivan reminded me patting me on the back.

"It's okay if you do Dimka. You've been living just fine without her for the past seven years. Giving her a divorce means you can finally move on with your life," my sister encouraged.

"You can do it Dimitri, just concentrate," Lissa cheered me on.

"What the hell! Are you on his side?" Rose asked slapping Lissa upside the head.

"Well someone has to be," she muttered rubbing the back of her head.

I took one last look at her willing myself to realize what I'd be losing if I didn't hit precisely the right spot. I gathered the last of my strength and courage, aimed the dart and fired it at the twenty.

I didn't have the nerve to look at it so instead I watched the expression on Rose's face instead. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped and in that instant, I knew I had won.

"But how?" she stammered walking up to the board to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her while Ivan and Christian high fived me.

The crowd that had been gathered around us congratulated me and then began to disburse until it was just Rose and I standing alone in front of the dart board.

"I guess we're going to New York," she gulped pulling at the collar of her sweater nervously.

While a part of me was rejoicing triumphantly in my victory, it was short lived as she sat down on a chair staring blankly out the window.

"What's the matter?" I asked knowing she was upset, but wondering why she wasn't taking it out on me in an angry tirade.

"If you come home with me, I will have to tell Adrian the truth and he'll break up with me," she said sadly. While I would like nothing more than for that exact thing to happen, I didn't want her to hurt her.

"We could always stay here instead," I offered. I didn't care where we were as long as we were together.

She shook her head. "I can't. I just got a phone call about a shoot I have to be at on Wednesday next week. I can't back out, I'm under contract."

"I'm sorry Roza, but he isn't right for you. You have to give me the chance to make you see that," I said hoping she would perk up a little.

"Dimitri, we've known each other our whole lives, we dated, we were married, we lived together, we had a family together and still this is where we ended up. I don't know what else to do or say to prove to you that we were doomed from the start."

"I refuse to believe that," I said shaking my head. "The girl I fell in love with is in there somewhere and I'm going to find her." I took her hand in mine and for once she didn't pull away.

"She isn't there. She hasn't been for a long time. If you need to come to New York with me to see it, then fine, but I still don't know how to explain all of this to my fiancé."

"Hey, I don't mean to interrupt, but I think I have an idea," Lissa said smiling brightly.

"What would that be?" Rose asked.

"Well, the deal was, you'd let him come to New York with you, but you didn't say you'd introduce him as your husband right?"

"I guess not, but who the hell is he supposed to be then and where is he going to stay?"

"Well I was thinking about that. What if instead of just Dimitri going to New York with you, I went too?"

"Why would you do that?" I asked.

"Well, I've always wanted to see New York. I would get to spend time with you and you could take me to your photo shoot as a Christmas gift to make up for all the ones you missed," she said with a grin.

"But that still doesn't explain Dimitri," I said finding the hole in her logic.

"Well, he and I and Ivan and Christian could just be a group of friends from back home. We could get a suite at a decent hotel and make a vacation out of it. Who's to say that Dimitri is any more than just a friend from back home, come to see his friend on the runway?"

"I guess that would work," she said.

"So what do you say Ivan? You in?" Lissa asked.

"Sure, I'm game. I could get out of here for a while," he agreed.

"What about Sparky. Doesn't he have to work?"

"Nope, just hired two new deputies and they can handle things for a few weeks while he takes his much needed vacation time."

"Woah, if you guys are going to New York, you have to take me with," Viktoria exclaimed having just walked through the door to overhear our conversation.

"The more the merrier," Rose muttered.

"So when should we book a flight for?"

"I guess Monday."

"Monday it is," Lissa exclaimed excitedly pulling out her phone. "Wow that only gives me four days to pack. I have to get home and start."

RPOV

I watched in horror as his dart hit the triple ring on the twenty for the second time. Where the hell had he learned how to play darts? My shoulders slumped in defeat as Lissa booked all of us a flight out on Monday. I had absolutely no idea how I was supposed to bring a crowd full of friends home from a place I had pretended didn't exist for the past seven years and not slip up in front of Adrian or Mia or God forbid the paparazzi. I ended up needing two more shots to get my nerves to calm down and by this point I was more than a little drunk.

"I think you've had enough. I'm going to take her home," Dimitri told our friends as he removed the glass from my hand. I was too exhausted to put up a fight and allowed him to coral me out of the bar and out to his truck. He opened the door to the cab of the truck and helped me up and into the passenger seat before climbing in beside me.

I could barely remain upright and I figured it wouldn't hurt to just lean my head on his shoulder for a few minutes to make my head stop spinning. By the time we reached the house I was very comfortably snuggled into the crook of his neck.

"Mmm you smell good," I murmured inhaling the deep woodsy scent of his aftershave that I had always loved. He pulled me closer stroking my head with his hand as he put the truck in park.

"You always smell good Milaya," he whispered in Russian.

"Can you walk?" he asked as he attempted to get me out of the truck.

"Nope," I said swaying dangerously on the icy patches.

"Okay then," he said lifting me into his arms carrying me bridal style over the threshold the way he'd done on our wedding night.

**Flashback**

"**What are you doing? Put me down!" I said as we arrived back at the disgusting shack of a house my father had helped Dimitri buy so we could have a place to live after we were married. It was nothing like the luxury I'd grown up in and I was not happy to have been forced into a marriage at seventeen let alone live in this crusty old piece of crap someone had mistaken for a house. **

"**I'm carrying you over the threshold," he said smiling at me. "It's a tradition." How he remained in such a chipper mood after this disaster of a wedding I will never know.**

"**Whatever, just put me down," I said once we'd entered the house. **

**He set me back on my feet and tears sprung to my eyes as I realized what my life had become. I'd gone from having a bright future and going to school for fashion design to seventeen, knocked up and married to my high school boyfriend. **

**I knew that I should be grateful that Dimitri hadn't run away and refused to take care of me and our child, but then again I could never be sure if he would have married me if my father hadn't busted in on him at work and held a knife to his throat telling him that he'd better take responsibility for his family. What was even more embarrassing is that the whole town knew about it. I could barely show my face anywhere without being humiliated. It was July now and I was ten weeks pregnant and so far my body looked relatively the same, but when school started up again in September it would be a whole different story. **

"**Do you want to see the bedroom?" Dimitri asked. I had only seen the outside of the house before the wedding as I was too distraught and angry to go inside. I also knew this was his ploy to get me into bed on our wedding night so our marriage was legal and binding. I also knew he was frustrated because I had refused to be intimate with him since the day I found out about the baby. **

"**Sure, why not add insult to injury," I said allowing him to take my hand. **

**As I stepped through the door I gasped at the breathtaking sight before me. It wasn't at all the dank prison I had expected it to be. The entire room was lit with candles and white twinkle lights. A Queen sized bed sat majestically in the middle of the small room with rose petals spread out on the red and gold comforter in the shape of a heart. There was a bottle of sparkling cider on the night stand and soft music played from a tape deck.**

"**Do you like it?" he asked his voice hopeful. **

**I held back tears nodding. "Did you do all this?" I asked. **

"**I had a little help from my sisters. Roza, I know this isn't the life we had planned, but for me the most important thing is being with you and that our child grows up feeling loved by both of us," he said placing his hands over my abdomen. **

"**I promise I will try my hardest to give you a good life," he said cupping my face in his hands. "I love you so much and there's no place I'd rather be than right here." **

**The tears that I'd been fighting began to leak out as I leaned into his touch.**

"**I'm sorry for being so uncooperative these past few weeks. I love you too," I said and I meant it. I did love him more than anything. I was just struggling with how much things had changed these past few weeks. **

**He leaned down capturing his lips with mine caressing my bare shoulders with his hands before fiddling with the zipper on the back of my gown. **

"**You are so very beautiful my love," he said as I stood before him, my dress pooling at my feet. **

"**Are you sure you want this?" I asked still unsure of whether or not he felt as trapped into this marriage as I did. **

"**I've never wanted anything more," he said lying me back against the pillows hovering over me as he looked deeply into my eyes. At that moment I decided believing him was my only option. I wanted to take the opportunity to just enjoy being with him tonight on our wedding night. I knew that in the morning reality would set in and our lives would be miserable, but just for tonight I let things be perfect as we made love in our new house for the first time as husband and wife. I let myself pretend that it was five years from now and we had graduated college, had successful careers, had a fairy tale engagement, shopped for the perfect house and had planned to have the baby we were expecting. I knew at the end of the day I was delusional, but it helped me sleep that night. **

**End Flashback**

I was brought out of my reverie as I felt Dimitri lower me onto the bed.

"You can sleep in here tonight. I will be on the couch," he said pulling off my boots laying them next to the bed.

"Okay,"I murmured already half asleep.

I woke sometime later shivering to death and I couldn't figure out why I was so cold. I was still wearing my sweater, leggings and socks and was under three blankets. As I breathed out I could see my breath. This was not normal. I mean it was twenty below outside, but this was ridiculous. I got out of bed threw on one of Dimitri's sweatshirts over my clothes and went to check the thermostat.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I found Dimitri hovering underneath the furnace.

"Heat is out. I think I'm going to need a new part," he said sitting up brushing off his dirty hands.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"Uh huh," I said my teeth chattering as I read that the temperature inside had dropped to forty-six in the absence of the heat.

"It must have blown out while we were gone. I didn't notice it when we came home," he said sighing heavily.

"Do you have any more blankets?" I asked. He shook his head in negation. I have the two that are on the couch and then the ones you have in the bedroom. If I leave the stove on it should warm the living room up. I will light a fire in the fireplace as well. That way you will be warm."

"What about you?" I asked as he carried the blankets from the bedroom and began covering me with them as I huddled on the couch.

"I'll be okay. I'm used to this weather," he said grabbing his coat to go get the firewood.

Twenty minutes later there was a roaring fire in the fireplace and the oven was on creating even more heat and I was finally beginning to thaw out. Dimitri on the other hand looked like he was turning blue.

"Come here," I beckoned holding up the edge of my five blankets he so unselfishly gave to me without regard for his own comfort and health.

"I'm really okay," he said crouching in front of the fireplace attempting to warm his hands.

"I know you're not. You're just too stubborn to admit it, now come on. It will be warmer for the both of us if you come over here," I said. "Besides you can't sleep on the floor, you won't be able to walk tomorrow," I pointed out.

He nodded taking off his boots and coat joining me on the couch.

I turned on the television flipping idly through the channels to see if I could find anything good.

"They have Elf in Russian?" I snorted leaving it on for background noise.

"You know you used to enjoy Russian movies," he pointed out rubbing his hands together.

"Yea right, that's what I told you," I scoffed. "If I had to sit through one more bad Western or one more stupid Russian movie with you I'd probably have been bored to tears. Give me your hands," I said placing my warm ones over his which were ice cold. I rubbed them between mine hoping the friction would keep him from getting frostbite.

"I've really missed you Roza," he said lying back on the couch patting the spot beside him so we could spoon for warmth. I moved so he could wrap me up in his arms holding me close to his chest which was bare. I too had shed my flannel shirt so his body heat could warm me as well. My skin tingled and burned red hot where our bodies touched and I couldn't deny that I was still very physically attracted to him.

He began to rub my shoulders and arms warming me even more as he buried his face in my hair placing a feather light kiss on the back of my neck. Tingles shot down my spine as he pulled me closer to his body allowing me to feel his arousal against my leg. White hot heat swept over me as I ground my hips into his manhood giving him the go ahead to slip his hands under my sweater caressing my stomach and hips with his now very warm hands. I let out a moan as his lips continued to graze my neck and ear. My head was screaming to me that this was wrong. I was still a little drunk and I was giving him the wrong idea. I didn't want him to touch me. I was engaged to Adrian or so my mind said, but my body had other ideas as I spun myself around so our foreheads were pressed against each other both panting from the sexual tension that hung densely in the air.

"I need you so much Roza," he breathed before pressing his lips to mine. I knew I shouldn't, but my brain was only responding to the passion the rest of my body was feeling as I wrapped my arms around his neck deepening our kiss pawing at him hungrily like a wild animal.

"Uh so good Comrade," I groaned as his hands moved higher under my shirt caressing my aching breasts setting fire to my throbbing core. There was never a doubt in my mind that he had a physical hold on me. Every time we made love it was fiery and passionate. More clothing was shed until we were both bare and every inch of our skin was touching. He ran his hand slowly up my leg stopping to dip his fingers into my dripping wet core stroking my nerves softly at first and then speeding up as I responded lustfully to his minstrations. My hand reached out for his member and I clasped him between my fingers slowly working my way from the bottom of the shaft to the tip swirling my finger around the opening knowing how much it drove him crazy.

"I need to be inside of you he growled pulling me on top of him anchoring me against his body with one arm and positioning himself at my entrance with the other.

"Look at me!" he commanded placing his fingers under my chin.

My eyes focused on his long enough for him to realize that I was still intoxicated.

"I want this so much," he said kissing my lips softly. "But not like this," he finished pulling away from me.

The lust filled haze began to clear and I realized I was buck naked and about to have sex with my soon to be ex husband while engaged to another man.

"What am I doing?" I asked shaking my head.

"Nothing tonight," he replied handing me his shirt so I could cover up. "When we make love, I don't want there to be any regret," he said pulling on his sweat pants.

**Damn that was a tease! LOL whew, she dodged a bullet there. So leave me some love. What do you think will happen in New York? Your response to my last chapter blew me away and spurred me to write this today and half on the next chapter as well=)**


	11. Chapter 11: You Sound Like Sex

**Chapter 11: You Sound Like Sex**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

DPOV

I watched her sleep comfortably in my arms allowing myself the guilty pleasure of burying my face in her neck the way I used to. We had been so close to making love that it was physically painful to pull away from her like that, but I wasn't that guy. I couldn't take advantage of her in her intoxicated state. It was already bad enough that I allowed it to go as far as I did. Surely she was going to wake up and kick my ass for putting my hand on her like that, but in this moment, I couldn't care less. Being with her like that if only for a brief moment was pure bliss for me. I ached for her every night since she left and thoughts of her plagued my daily existence. Some people would say that it made me disturbed and that I should seek professional help, but for me, she was it. She was the one and I would never stop loving her no matter what happened. She had been my best friend since Kindergarten, my girlfriend since I was fifteen, the mother of my child, my wife and the love of my life for as long as I could remember. People who ended relationships and marriages and got over them quickly were never really in love to begin with. Sure she claimed to have moved on, but she hadn't give him her heart. That I knew for sure. I'd watched her on television appearances and read those interviews my sister had warned me about in magazines and there was one thing I knew for sure. She would never love him the way she loved me.

It was entirely obvious that her feelings for him were a substitute for the life she thought she couldn't have. Superficially they were the perfect match. He was rich, high society, clean cut and handsome. They looked fantastic together in photos and had that perfect easy going mentality meant for good friends, not for true lovers. It pained me that I knew she'd been intimate with him, but that was on the surface as well. She'd been physically intimate with him, but emotionally she hadn't given him a single piece of her life or her heart. She hadn't confided in him about her past. He didn't know where she was from and was never privy to any information about her family. Hell, he lived with her for how long and couldn't figure out she had an eating disorder. The man was obviously either dense or not as smitten with her as he seemed.

I dozed off content for the first time in a long time knowing that some part of her, however small desired me even if she didn't realize it. I woke early and she was still out like a light. I stoked the fire hoping it would keep her warm until I was able to fix the furnace. I covered her with all five blankets placing my hand on her cheek to make sure she was warm. She stirred slightly, but didn't wake.

It took me about a half an hour to make the trip to the hardware store and back and when I returned she was still sleeping peacefully. As I worked on the furnace, her phone must have chimed twenty times. Being the nosy man I was, I decided to snoop a little even though I knew she would kill me if she found out. Turns out I didn't even need a password because with the IPhone messages appeared on it without even typing it in. There were two missed calls and a voicemail from Adrian and three frantic texts from someone named Sydney Sage all warning her that her fiancé was in a tizzy because he hadn't heard from her in two days. I smirked to myself and went back to work. If things worked out the way I hoped they would, she would be all mine by the time we celebrated Christmas.

RPOV

I woke to the sounds of clanging and banging in the utility room. The last embers of the fire from last night still burned in the fireplace as the events of what had happened came rushing back to me. I inhaled sharply wondering how I had allowed things to go so far. Sure I was a little drunk, but not drunk enough to be out of control. I had known exactly what I was doing when I let him touch me and kiss me like that and I had liked it. It felt natural and I felt bereaved as I woke up alone. I longed for his warm body to be pressed up against mine once more.

"Heat is about fixed," he said climbing out from underneath the furnace. He was sweaty and had dirt smudges all over his face, but he was still handsome as hell in the light of day.

"Would you like some breakfast?" I asked knowing we were going to have to talk about last night, but I wanted to put it off for as long as I could.

"I would, what are you making?"

I snorted. "Nothing fancy. How about bliny?" I asked cocking my head to one side.

"Those require eggs you know," he told me.

I shrugged. "I know. They're for you," I said busying myself with the pans and assembling ingredients from the cupboard and the fridge.

"Are you just going to watch me eat?" he asked as I placed the plate in front of him.

"Ugh, I feel like puking," I grimaced clutching my stomach. "Five shots of Vodka is not something I should have ingested on an empty stomach," I said wrinkling my nose.

"When is the last time you ate?" he asked no doubt concerned at my unhealthy eating habits.

"I'm fine, don't go all father knows best on me," I griped pouring myself a cup of coffee. "Besides, I have a shoot on Wednesday and Javier will kill me if I gain a pound." He raised his eyebrow at me, but refrained from commenting.

"So about last night," he said broaching the subject cautiously as he shoveled the food into his mouth like he'd never seen food before. I'd forgotten what a big appetite he had especially when he'd been working on things. I'd actually become a pretty good cook in the year that we were married because he would come home from a twelve hour shift at the factory starving to death and in his words if he was going to make the money to pay the bills, then I had to at least keep house a little and have dinner for him when he came home. The first time he said that to me I'd thrown the television remote at his head shouting that while he worked all day, I had to go to school and incubate his spawn and that if he wanted dinner he would have to do for himself. Of course I caved after he lost ten pounds the first month we were married and I was worried for his health. Olena helped me learn how to make his favorite foods.

I closed my eyes, inhaling sharply.

"Thank you for not taking advantage of me," I said finally looking him in the eye.

"You know I wouldn't do that to you. I'm an honorable man Roza and I didn't want you to hate yourself or me in the morning."

"I was just as much a participant in what happened as you were, so let's leave it at that," I told him hoping he would drop the subject.

"It can't happen again," I added placing my coffee cup in the sink.

"No promises on that. I would never take advantage of you while you were drunk, but sober you're fair game."

"I'm getting married," I said forcefully.

"In my eyes and the eyes of the law, you are still my wife and pursuing you is my given right."

"Well you better behave yourself when we get to New York. If you screw things up between me and Adrian, I will hate you forever."

"Well you see there, we're already making progress," he said with a smirk.

"Almost having sex one time is hardly considered progress."

"No, but you just admitted that you don't hate me. I'll take that as a good sign," he said popping the rest of his bliny into his mouth. "Thanks for breakfast honey," she teased slapping my ass as he left the room.

"Figures he would take everything I say literally," I muttered picking up my phone that had been making noises for the past few hours. I'd tried to ignore them, but I knew I was going to have to face the music soon.

I decided to call Sydney first to see what I was walking into on Monday.

"Where the hell have you been? Adrian and Mia have been blowing up my phone wondering why the hell you've been MIA for the past two days!" she cried not even bothering with pleasantries.

"I know. I'm sorry. I've just had a lot to deal with these past few days," I said rubbing my head in frustration.

"You slept with him didn't you?" she deadpanned.

"What? No, I didn't sleep with him," I said truthfully.

"I knew it. I knew going back there was a bad idea and you'd get sucked back in. I mean come on he's like the most gorgeous man I've never laid eyes on," she said talking about the time she'd found the photo of Dimitri and I with our son that I secretly kept inside my jewelry box underneath the satin. She had gone on and on about how hot he was and how stupid I was to leave Russia when I had such a hunk waiting for me at home.

"I did not sleep with him!" I shouted.

"Okay, but you wanted to, I can tell. You sound like sex," she said.

"What? How can a person sound like sex?"

"They just can and you do so admit it. You came close."

"Okay okay, last night we came close, like really close," I admitted putting my head in my hands.

"Rose, whenare you coming home. Adrian is frantic. He thinks you're leaving him."  
"What why would he think that?"

"Gee I don't know. You get engaged and then skip town the next day, lie to him about where you are going, say you'll be back in a few days and it's been almost a week. Then on top of that you don't answer your phone. With what you just told me, I don't think he's paranoid."

"This is so not happening," I muttered. "I will call him. I'm not leaving him. Last night was a mistake and it won't happen again."

"Who are you trying to convince me or you?" she snorted.

"Shut up," I told her quite agitated because I knew she was right. One more close encounter with Dimitri and I was a goner. Hell, I was ready to jump his bones the minute I woke up this morning, but the fact of the matter was that he wasn't good for me. He lived a simple quiet life here in Baia and would want me to stay with him here and raise a family. I couldn't do that. I certainly had no desire to stay here and give up the life I'd built for myself in New York and I was definitely not interested in having anymore children. If I'd learned anything about myself is that I was a terrible mother and no child should have to have me as theirs.

"So when are you coming home?" she asked.

"Our flight leaves Monday at six am. So I'd say Tuesday around the same time."

"Our?" she questioned. Crap! Had I said that out loud?

"I kind of lost a bet last night," I told her.

"What type of bet?"

"Holy shit, you're bringing your husband home with you?" she cried after I'd explained what had transpired at the bar last night.

"No, as far as everyone else is concerned I am bringing home some friends."

"Yea, one of which you are married to and almost slept with last night."

"Why do you have to be so dramatic?" I hissed. "He wants to see what my life in the city is like and once he does, he'll high tail it right back to the rock he lives under now and Adrian will be none the wiser."

"You don't sound so sure about that."

"Well I am so stop. Everything is going to be fine unless some big mouthed blonde opens her big mouth," I threatened.

"Hey my lips are sealed. This is going to be one hell of a train wreck to watch. Hey can I sell tickets?"

"Goodbye Sydney," I said hanging up on her.

APOV

"Why haven't you answered my phone calls? Are you alright?" I asked concerned not only for the safety and well being of my fiancée, but also concerned that things between us weren't right. When my phone rang in the middle of the night, I dashed out of bed to answer it hoping to God it was Rose. I hadn't heard from her in two days and I was frantic thinking the worst.

"Adrian, I am so sorry. Things here have been hectic with the winter storms and with my family. Last night the heat was out and it took all night to fix. I should have called. I've been preoccupied and a very bad fiancée. Can you forgive me?" she asked. The tone in her voice was telling me that she wasn't giving me the whole truth, but I was so grateful to hear from her that I didn't push the subject. I would wait until she came home, that is if she ever did.

"When are you coming home?" I asked nearly ready to get on a plane and fly to Russia to get her.

"My flight leaves on Monday at six. I should be home very early Tuesday."

"Rose, should I be worried? Is there something you're not telling me?" I asked unable to take being in the dark anymore.

"I have a lot to explain when I get home, I know. Please be patient with me. I came here to sort out some family issues and have stumbled upon a few new ones. I promise I will tell you everything on Tuesday," she said sounding sincere.

"I miss you," I told her knowing I sounded like a whiny high school girl. We had known each other four years and it had taken me almost three years of flirting, bringing her flowers and planning romantic evenings to get her to go out with me. She was quite fickle. What had confused me the most was that she wasn't seeing anyone else. She just kept refusing to get serious with me. We'd go to a movie or have coffee. She'd kiss me and laugh at my jokes, but that's as far as it went. Finally after I'd nearly given up I asked her to be my date at a gala for my father's company and she'd come home with me after. We never spoke about commitment, but she'd let me know in no uncertain terms that she was mine. After that things were great and went very smoothly and three months ago I had asked to move in with me in anticipation of my impending proposal. I was thrilled when she said yes and things had been picture perfect that is until the day I proposed. She had fun at the party, but I could feel her pull away from me later that night. We'd made love, but it didn't feel normal. She was tense and didn't sleep well tossing and turning all night. Then the next day she'd hurried out of the apartment lying to me about having a photo shoot running off to Russia. I didn't know what was going on with her, but I was done ignoring her shady behavior. I was going to have to do a little digging on my own. I just hoped that what I found wasn't as bad as I feared.

DPOV

I laughed silently as I continued to shave having listened intently to her conversation with this Sydney girl and then with her fiance. She was so sure that I wouldn't be able to handle her life in New York, but I was far more prepared than she thought. I'd already seen what it was like and granted I wasn't thrilled about it, but I could definitely handle it.

"What's on the agenda for today?" Rose asked flipping idly through a magazine as she sat on the couch.

"Well I thought you might like to have your father and brother over tonight. It would mean a lot to them I'm sure. I could make dinner and you can visit," I offered.

"Sounds good to me," she agreed. "I'm just going to have a shower and change."

I sat on the couch picking up the magazine she'd been reading. I sighed as I realized it was a bridal magazine. I thought back to the day I asked her to marry me and boy was that a disaster.

**Flashback**

**I waited nervously outside the door to her father's house wearing my best shirt and good jeans fumbling in my pocket for the ring my mother had helped me pick out and loaned me the money for. **

**I hadn't seen her in almost two weeks. She'd been avoiding me and dodging my calls since school let out. I'd been to her house several times trying to get an answer for her odd behavior, but all Mason would tell me was that she'd locked herself in her room saying she wasn't feeling well. It wasn't entirely strange for her to be angry with me for one reason or another and ignore me for a day or two, but two weeks was beyond ridiculous. I was beginning to worry that she was going to end things with me and I was determined to get her to talk to me so on Wednesday, the day I only worked until three, I decided I was going to go over there and force her to see me. As it turned out, I needn't have bothered. That was the day her father, one of the most feared businessmen in Eastern Europe, barged into the factory, slammed me up against the wall with a knife to my throat and ordered me to take care of the mess I'd created. I of course had no idea what he was talking about, but he was eager to inform me that his daughter was pregnant and I was to blame. To say I was stunned was an understatement. I thought back to the last few times we were together and realized that we'd missed a step on Prom night. I'd briefly realized we hadn't been entirely safe right away, but brushed it off figuring the odds were slim that anything would happen. Apparently I was wrong. What I couldn't understand though was her reluctance to see or talk to me. Wasn't it good measure to at least call the guy who knocked you up and tell him about it? Not to mention that I wasn't just any guy. We'd been together for years and we were in love or at least I thought we were. I was so confused right now that it hurt to think. One thing was for sure, Rose and I needed to talk. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying unsuccessfully to get Rose to answer her phone finally calling Lissa in desperation. **

"**What do you want Dimitri? I'm under strict orders not to speak to you," she answered. **

"**What I want is an explanation for why my girlfriend is avoiding me," I said not wanting to tip her off that I knew about the baby. I didn't want Rose to be even more angry when she found out her father had ordered me to marry her or else. **

"**That would be up to Rose to discuss with you." **

"**Please Lissa, I'm desperate. I need to get her alone. Can you help me?" I pleaded. **

**She sighed. "I guess, but only because I don't agree with what she's doing to you," she said agreeing to help me. So here I stood on the front porch fully prepared to ask Roza to marry me. I would have to be the first to admit that I was scared shitless. It wasn't that I didn't want to marry her, because the thought of being with her for the rest of our lives and the thought of our child growing inside her made me blissfully happy. It was just that I knew her and if she wasn't speaking to me it was because she was not happy and an unhappy Rose, was not one that was likely to accept a shotgun proposal. Nevertheless, I was going to ask anyways. **

**She opened the door and her jaw dropped as she registered that it was me on the other side instead of Lissa, whom she was expecting.**

"**What are you doing here?" she asked coldly crossing her arms. **

"**I'm here to take you out. I know you're angry with me and I want to make up for whatever I did. I was hoping you'd agree to have dinner with me," I said praying to God she accepted.**

"**I'm not hungry," she snapped preparing to slam the door in my face, but having anticipated her sullen reaction, I'd already stuck my foot in the door.**

"**Come on Roza, you have to talk to me sooner or later. We've been together too long for you to just shut me out like this," I pointed out hoping she'd buy my lame excuse.**

"**You know I'm not taking no for an answer," I reminded her.**

"**Fine," she finally acquiesced shutting the door behind her as she joined me on the porch. **

"**You look nice," I complimented her taking a chance as I kissed her cheek softly. **

**She rolled her eyes and tugged at her sweater, which I could tell was already becoming a little too snug around her waist. **

"**Where are we going?" she asked as I helped her into the cab of my truck.**

"**You'll see," I told her. The ride was silent save for the country music I had coming from the radio. She wouldn't look at me and I could tell that tonight was not going to be easy. **

"**We're eating in the woods?" she asked as I pulled up to our favorite picnic table next to the lake. I had set up a checkered table cloth and had some of those fake candles that glowed lit all around it to make it feel more romantic. After all this was the night I was asking her to spend the rest of her life with me. **

"**Are you cold?" I asked offering her my jacket from the car as she sat down at the table. **

"**No, I'm fine." **

**I began pulling things out of the back of the truck. Mama and Sonya had helped me pack a romantic picnic full of foods that were soothing to the stomach as Mama said she may be feeling a little nauseous by now. **

"**Would you like to tell me what's on your mind?" I asked as I took my seat across from her at the table. **

"**Not particularly," she muttered munching on a few crackers. I sighed, but plunged ahead with my plan.**

"**Roza, I brought you here tonight because this is a place I feel holds all of our good memories," I started being far too nervous to hold it together any longer so I figured why not just get it over with.**

"**Right here at this picnic table was the first time I knew I was in love with you. I was thirteen and you were eleven. I was sitting here tying my shoes and you were running away from Ivan who was chasing you with a big sprig of poison ivy. You somehow lost your footing and when I heard your terrified scream the only thing I could think of was that I couldn't lose you. The way you flung yourself into my arms sobbing hysterically after I pulled you to safety assured me that you were the one for me. Since that day there hasn't been a single moment I didn't want to spend with you and that is why I wanted to bring you here, where it all began for me to ask you this question." I held my breath as I dropped to my knee pulling the ring box from my pocket. **

"**Roza, you are my world, the light and love of my life. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" I asked.**

**The look on her face as I stared up at her expectantly was not a happy one.**

"**I see you've spoken to my father," she said icily before getting up and running away from me. **

**My shoulders slumped and I snapped the ring box closed as I scrambled to my feet to catch up with her. **

"**Roza wait!" I called as I made my way through the trees to the spot where I knew I'd find her. She had always run to the waterfall when she was upset or angry and sure enough there she sat her knees to her chest and her shoulders shaking with sobs. I perched myself next to her pulling her into my arms. **

"**Everything is going to be okay Roza," I told her holding her as she continued to sob. She turned her face so it was pressed into my neck seeking comfort the way she had always done. **

"**Everything isn't okay," she sobbed. "I'm seventeen and pregnant." **

"**I know," I told her stroking her hair softly. "I'm going to take care of you and our baby," I promised. **

**She eventually came around and agreed to marry me. It saddened me though that I would never know what her answer would have been, had she not felt obligated to be with me because of our child.**

**End Flashback**

**Uh oh! Sydney knows, Adrian is going to start digging and what a terrible way to find out your girlfriend is pregnant… Lots going on in this 4,300 word chapter. Let me know what you think. Next up is dinner with the family and possibly the Christmas Party and then it's back to NYC to let the fun begin=)**


	12. Chapter 12: It was my Fault

**Chapter 12: It was My Fault**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**So sorry for the delay. Been a hectic week for the Thanksgiving holiday, but since it's the Christmas season, I know you'll forgive me for my tardiness=)**

RPOV

"What the hell?" I uttered as I tried on not one but all three of my sweaters I'd brought from home. Not one of them made it past my bust. I glanced in the mirror to make sure I wasn't crazy. They looked like Barbie clothes. As I pulled the last of them over my head, I inhaled an unfamiliar scent. As I held it to my nose again I realized it was laundry detergent. My eyes widened as I went through the rest of my things.

"He didn't," I groaned noticing that the rest of my clothing was folded neatly in piles inside my bag. I hadn't done that. I had left everything strewn in disarray which meant Dimitri had attempted to do my laundry and instead shrunk all of my clothes. I should be furious with him, but he was trying so hard and I felt really bad for him. He was the one that was going to end up with the broken heart in all of this, so I decided to let it go at least for now.

I tossed my now ruined designer clothes into the trash and pulled out one of the sweaters I'd bought yesterday with Vika. I brushed my hair and instead of blowing it out, I left it loose and curly. One thing I did enjoy about being back here was that there weren't cameras flashing in my face everywhere I went. That meant I didn't have to look impeccable at all times. I could let my hair down and skip the make-up if I wanted to. I had to admit that it was very relaxing. I decided to enjoy these last few days of peace before it was back to the exhausting pace of the New York lifestyle.

"Dimitri, can I borrow the truck?" I asked as I emerged from the bedroom. He was sitting at the kitchen table looking through some papers. He looked up at me with a curious expression on his face.

"What's mine is yours Roza, you know that," he said holding out the keys for me.

"Thanks," I said taking them from his outstretched hand.

"I've invited them for five if that is okay. Your Aunt Oksana and Uncle Mark will be joining us as well."

"Sounds good," I told him grabbing my winter coat and bundling up so I didn't freeze to death walking to the truck. He didn't inquire as to where I was going. Maybe that meant that he trusted me to come back. I guess we were making progress. Better late than never, I supposed.

My first stop was to the grocery store where this Tasha girl supposedly worked. I wanted to get a look at her and feel her out. Maybe I could coax her into going to the party tomorrow and see how she and Dimitri reacted around each other. I grabbed a few necessary items, placed them in my cart and headed over to the checkout. There were two checkers, but only one was female. I wheeled my cart up to her belt and began to unload my things. I squinted to read her name tag and indeed it said Tasha. I sized her up for a minute nonchalantly. She was very pretty. Tall and slender with long straight dark hair and piercing blue eyes. She had a faint scar on the left side of her face, but it didn't at all detract from her beauty. She looked to be a little older than Dimitri. I'd say she was around thirty.

"Hello, welcome to the corner market. Will this be all for you today Miss?" she asked politely.

"Yes, it will thank you," I responded.

"You're new in town aren't you? Are you visiting?" she asked as she began scanning my items.

"You could say that," I told her thankful that wearing my hair like this and without make up she hadn't recognized me from my magazine spreads.

"Well if you need any help navigating the town, I'd be more than happy to show you around," she offered.

"That's really very kind of you, but I have a friend that is helping me out while I'm visiting. You might know her. Vicktoria Belikova," I said studying her face.

"Oh yes, I know the Belikov's well," she said.

"You do, well then I'll probably see you at their Christmas party tomorrow evening right?" I asked hoping she was invited.

"Yes, you will. I'm actually closer to Dimka, Viktoria's brother," she said, a dreamy look crossing her face as she mentioned Dimitri.

"Oh, so you're the Tasha Dimitri has been talking about," I said giving her a once over as I set my plan into motion.

"Dimka talks about me?" she asked beaming.

"Oh yes, your name has come up more than once," I said laying it on real thick.

"Well we have been seeing each other on and off, you know. He's just real cautious because of his bitch of an ex wife. She left him you know and he's always been a little shy after that, but I think we're getting somewhere. Just the other day he came in on my shift," she said giddily tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"I'd take that as a good sign," I said winking at her "I guess I'll see you tomorrow. It was nice meeting you Tasha," I said giving her a bright smile.

"You too," she called as I exited.

"That was almost too easy," I said smiling slyly to myself.

I stopped at the post office, the drug store, the florist and the bakery to pick up some of my father's favorite sweets for after dinner and by now it was nearly four o'clock. I had one last stop on my agenda, but it took me a long while to get out of the car once I was there.

I unhooked my seatbelt and slowly pulled myself out of the truck. I hadn't been here in seven years and even then I had only been here once although the path I needed to take was ingrained in my memory quite well.

"Hey baby boy," I said tears creeping down my cheeks as I reached the small plot where my son, Alexandr Ibrahim Belikov was buried. I dropped to my knees clutching the bouquet of white roses I'd picked out for him at the florist.

"I'm so sorry it's been so long my love," I whispered tracing my hand over the cold, hard stone.

**Flashback**

**I watched through blurry tears as the priest gave his final blessings as we laid our son to rest. It took both my brother and Dimitri to hold me upright as they began to lower his tiny coffin into the ground.**

"**Noooooooo, I wailed breaking free of their grasp and rushing forward falling to my knees as I reached the open grave. The ground was wet and muddy, but I didn't care. That was my son, my seven month old baby they were putting in there and I wasn't ready to let him go.**

"**Please don't leave me baby. I'm so sorry," I cried clutching the grass between my fingers. **

"**Rosemarie, he's gone. You have to let him go," my father said pulling me into his arms as I shook and shivered despite the heat of the bright August day. **

"**He can't be gone, he's just a baby," I cried. **

"**Belikov, get over here and help me," Baba demanded. Dimitri who was holding it together far better than I was came to his aid and they carried me to the car. **

**The ride back to our house was silent save for my choked sobs as Dimitri cradled me in his arms in the back seat of my father's car. **

"**Are you sure you're going to be alright alone tonight?" Olena asked as the guests who had come to pay their respects to our son had begun to disperse. **

"**We'll manage Mama," Dimitri told her. She gathered her things, gave him one last hug and embraced me as well even though I was too numb to return it. Then we were alone.**

**I listened to the sounds of Dimitri putting away the rest of the food people had left us as I sat on the couch. I'm not sure how much time had passed, but the sun had set and it had become night. I hadn't bothered to turn on a light so I sat in the dark staring blankly out the window until Dimitri's voice snapped me back to reality. He flipped on the lamp and I shut my eyes as they burned at the intrusion of light. **

"**Roza, you haven't eaten anything and the doctor says your medication shouldn't be taken on an empty stomach," he said kneeling in front of me holding out a glass of water.**

**I turned my head away not having the energy to respond. I didn't want food or medicine or to be comforted. My son, my seven month old baby was lying in a coffin in the ground and it was my fault. I had no desire to go through the motions of my life. Nothing mattered right now. I just wanted to shut out the world. **

"**Roza," he called again trying to get me to respond. **

"**I said no!" I cried smacking his hand away causing the glass of water and bottle of pills to fly out of his hand spilling all over the floor. **

**He sighed taking my hand in his. "Roza, I don't know what to do. I need you to help me," he pleaded. **

**I looked into his beautiful brown eyes which were puffy and rimmed with red from crying and I felt utterly helpless. I knew he needed me, but I was too far gone. My psyche was weak and it had cracked like a brittle bone. I had nothing to give him right now. I was drowning in despair and I couldn't pull myself out long enough to be there for someone else. **

**End Flashback**

I sat in the cemetery on the frozen ground weeping for everything I'd lost that day. I'd thought I'd lost my innocence when I gave birth at seventeen, but I was wrong. No parent however young should have to bury their child. That wasn't the way the world was supposed to work. I was supposed to raise him and take care of him and then one day long after he was married with children of his own, it would be his turn to do the same for us. If I'd learned anything from my experiences was that life was cruel and no one was safe from heartache.

DPOV

It was half past five and Mason and Jill had arrived along with Abe, Oksana and Mark. It was dark and I was beginning to worry about Rose.

"Is Rose still getting ready?" Mason asked rolling his eyes. He knew how long it took her in the bathroom.

I pulled at the collar on my flannel shirt. "Not exactly," I told him.

"She isn't here," he snorted. "It figures. I thought things were going to be different this time especially after she went to see Baba the other day, but I guess I was wrong."

I thought back to what had transpired between us this morning. She had asked me to borrow the truck instead of just taking it and she hadn't reamed me out for ruining her clothes, which I know she noticed. No, something was different about her. She was relaxed and calm almost happy. She wouldn't have just taken off on a day I'd invited her family over. She was hard headed, stubborn and snippy, but she wasn't cruel.

"If you'll excuse me a moment," I said setting down the bowl of chips I'd brought out on the table before heading to the bedroom to make a call. Her cell of course sent me straight to voicemail so I dialed the next best thing.

"Hey Christian, you on duty?" I asked.

"Yep, why?"

"I need eyes on Rose. Has anyone seen her?"

"Let me check with my deputies," he said and I heard radio static in the background.

"Your truck is parked outside Old Oaks," he told me. "You want me to go check on her?"

"No, just wait from a distance. I'm going to head over there now, thanks."

I grabbed my coat and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Mason asked.

"To get Rose, she's had a little trouble with my truck. It's a short walk. I'll be back soon," I said not wanting to upset anyone.

It was a short walk to the old cemetery, but it was freezing as hell so I quickened my pace. Sure enough the truck was parked right outside the entrance and Christian's police cruiser was idling behind it. I waved to him letting him know it was okay to take off.

I walked the short path to where I knew I'd find her. It was a place I had come to know well over the last seven years. I tried to come at least once a week. I wished she would have waited for me instead of facing this alone, but that was my wife always jumping in head first.

"Roza," I called seeing her slumped over in the snow. I rushed to her side shaking her to make sure she was awake.

"Roza, can you hear me?" I asked. I forced her to look at me. Her pupils focused slowly and I realized she was conscious, but wasn't bundled up tight enough to withstand the cold without getting hypothermia.

"He was so young," she sobbed through chattering teeth clutching my jacket. Frozen tears stained her overly roughed cheeks. I took her into my arms and carried her back to the truck.

"You silly girl, you're going to freeze to death," I scolded her once I turned the heat on full blast taking off my own coat and wrapping it around her shivering body.

"You should have left me there to freeze to death. All this time I've spent hating you for not being there, when it was really my fault," she sobbed.

"Roza, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault."

"I put him to bed that night and I fell asleep. He was probably crying for me and I didn't wake up!" Her voice cracked as the sobs continued to wrack her body.

"You were exhausted and I wasn't home to help you. Even if you had been awake, there's no guarantee he would have survived. The doctors said that he had a massive grand mal seizure due to an undetected cerebral nerve condition. There isn't any way you could have predicted that it would happen Roza. You have to stop blaming yourself!" I nearly shouted at her.

"I was his mother, I should have known something was wrong," she whispered. All these years the guilt had been eating her alive and I knew it was only a matter of time before she broke down completely. She needed professional help to sort out her feelings, but was too stubborn to admit it.

"Roza, for so long you've masked your grief and pain with anger. You ran away hoping to leave your problems behind, only you can't do that. They will always catch up with you. I want to help you, but you have to let me," I said desperate to get through to her.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she cried. "You have to forgive me. I loved him. No matter what I said and how unhappy I was, I loved him. He was my baby."

"Shh, Roza, I know. I know you loved him. You were a good mother. You have to know that. You gave up everything for him and he loved you too," I reassured her. She was too young to realize it at the time, but she had given up everything to have him: her reputation, high school graduation, being with her friends, going to college. She had stayed home with him so I could go to work and support our family. Those first few months, I would come home after a long day and she'd have fallen asleep next to his basinet with her hand still clutching his tiny foot. She was tired, worn out, entirely overwhelmed and far too young, but she had done her best to give him the life he deserved. She was a good mother. I was a neglectful husband and an absentee father being at work twelve hours a day. I should have found a way to get a better job so I could be home more. I would always regret the past, but what I wanted was a second chance. I wanted to make her mine again and I wanted to have more children with her. We could do it right this time and we could be happy if only she'd give me a chance.

"Do you want me to call and tell everyone to go home?" I asked as we continued to sit in the warm truck in front of the cemetery.

"No, I don't want them to know about this," she said swiping at the tears that were still coming down her cheeks.

I sighed, she was back to her usual denial. Her walls had come down for a brief minute and I thought just for a second that I might have a shot at getting through to her, but as she pulled her compact out of her purse and began furiously working to make it look like she hadn't been crying, I knew I'd lost her again at least for the time being.

"So Dimitri tells us you're leaving on Monday for New York," Jill said directing her question to Rose who had just finished pouring a cup of coffee for her father.

"Yes, I have to work on Wednesday and I have a fiancé to get back to."

"Does that mean you signed the papers?" Mason whispered in my ear.

I shook my head. "Not exactly," I muttered. He raised his eyebrow at me, but didn't comment further.

"I had so hoped you would stay longer," Abe said latching onto his daughter's hand.

"Don't worry Baba, I promise I will be back," she said kissing his cheek softly. I really hoped she would be back, sooner rather than later. I would do anything to be with her including moving to New York if I had to, but I had high hopes of convincing her to move back here with me. I wanted to stay close to our families, but I also knew that being here would give us a chance to truly reconnect.

"It was nice of you to invite my family over for dinner," she said yawning as we stood side by side in the kitchen finishing up what was left of the dishes.

"They're my family too," I told her. "Besides I've had dinner with them at least once a month for the past seven years."

She stopped washing the dish she was holding and looked at me in awe.

"You did?" she gulped.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I? I told you they're my family too. Don't you think of Mama and Vika that way?" I asked.

She nodded. "Of course I do."

No more words were exchanged as we finished the chore and I flipped off the light.

I woke early the next morning to the sounds of pots and pans being banged around in the kitchen. I pulled on a pair of sweat pants and wandered into the kitchen ready to scold one of my sisters for breaking in to steal my pans. I was shocked instead to find Rose in the kitchen wearing an apron standing over the stove.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Making Baba Romovaya cake," she answered as she lit the burner. "Where do you keep the good rum?" she asked opening up what used to be the liquor cabinet.

"Uh, it's in the living room cabinet," I said watching as she deftly measured out the ingredients.

"Well don't just stand there. Go and get it,"she ordered shooing me out of the kitchen.

"And don't even think about sampling the kutya," she scolded as I put my finger in the bowl that was sitting on the counter.  
"How did you?"

"I have eyes in the back of my head," she said without turning around. "Besides I know you can't resist homemade kutya."

"You're right, it's delicious," I said pulling out a spoon and filling it.  
"You should taste it," I said coming up behind her placing one hand on her hip pulling her close to my body and the other dangling the spoonful in front of her face.

"Come on you know you want to," I breathed caressing the side of her neck sensually with my lips.

She moaned sexily as she relaxed into my arms.

"Come on Milaya, it tastes so good," I enticed her lifting the spoon to my lips and taking a small amount.

"Let me give you a taste," I said turning her around, brushing my lips against hers.

"You're evil," she moaned licking the kutya off of my lips. I took this golden opportunity to lay one on her grabbing her around the waist, pinning her up against the cabinets as I assaulted her lips. She fisted my hair in her hands wrapping her legs around my waist as I moved my hands along the length of her body tugging at the buttons on the flannel shirt she was wearing. I knew she liked the way my shirts smelled because when given the opportunity to buy night clothes, she had forgone it and instead chose to continue wearing my shirts.

The oven timer dinged and she pulled away sharply her eyes wild and her chest heaving.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Keep your hands off of me!" she scolded.

"I don't know Roza, I'm awfully slow. You might have to keep reminding me," I said smirking at her as I walked over to take the black bread out of the oven.

**Okay** **what a rollercoaster of a chapter. Sorry I didn't include the party, but things are going to happen with Tasha and I needed a whole chapter for it. Any predictions on what happens at the party? I've had an especially hard week with the Thanksgiving holiday reviews are appreciated to keep me going=)**


	13. Chapter 13: Green Eyed Monster

**Chapter 13: Green Eyed Monster**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

RPOV

Boy was Dimitri good. He had completely ambushed me this morning while I was cooking for his mother's party. I hated how my body reacted to his touch. It was like I lost all control over my bodily functions. I can't believe I'd let him kiss me like that again. What in the world was I going to do if he pulled something like that in New York? Adrian would surely sense the sexual tension between us.

I had finished cooking and decided I needed a cold shower. My lady parts were still in a bunch from the stunt he had pulled and I'd be damned if I was going to let him catch me off guard again. No, today was about getting him and Tasha together so he would sign the papers. Who knew, if I was lucky he'd be so eager to sign them today that I could fly home without him on Monday.

I stood in front of the mirror admiring the dress I'd picked out while shopping with Viktoria. It was a far cry from the things I wore on the runway, but in a way it made me feel more normal. I almost felt like myself again, something I hadn't felt in a long time. I decided to skip the make-up and opted for a more natural look with just some shimmery lip gloss and silver eye liner.

"Roza, are you ready to….." Dimitri trailed off as he opened the door to the bedroom and caught sight of me in the dress.

"You look amazing," he commented, his eyes never leaving me.

"You don't look half bad yourself Comrade," I complimented him, giving his red and white striped sweater a once over. He'd actually pulled out a pair of Khackis instead of jeans today which I found sexy as hell. I gave myself a mental slap tearing my eyes away from his gorgeous body. I hated that I knew exactly what was underneath and even while he was fully clothed, I could imagine the rippling of his chest muscles and his six pack abs.

"Have you started packing?" I asked as we walked up the walkway to his mother's house. We both had multiple dishes of food in our hands.

"Not yet, but I will," he said. I nodded hoping that he would forget all about it once he saw Tasha tonight.

"Dimka, Roza!" Olena exclaimed as she opened the door. We were a little early so we could drop off the food before the other guests arrived.

"What is all this?" she asked welcoming us into the foyer.

"Roza made Babaromovaya cake, homemade kutya and black bread," Dimitri said beaming at me.

Olena smiled with a tear in her eye. "I knew you were still in there somewhere," she whispered hugging me close. I wanted to tell her that I was just trying to be nice, but she was right. I had learned to enjoy cooking and baking while Dimitri and I were married and I had enjoyed it this morning.

Adrian would freak out if I ever lifted a finger in the kitchen. Our marriage would be nothing like the one I had with Dimitri. In Baia I had to cook, clean, take care of Xander, pay the bills on Dimitri's meager salary and do all of the grocery shopping and driving around. It was very stressful. I never had a minute to myself and the minute I would find a moment's peace, the baby would cry or Dimitri would want to fool around. I was worn out and tired and ready to crack at any second.

Adrian and I had been living together a few months now and it had been blissfully happy and relaxing. We had breakfast delivered along with groceries. We had town cars waiting with drivers when we needed to be somewhere. We paid a housekeeper to come in twice a week to do chores and laundry and we usually ate out for dinner. The time we spent together was reserved for the fun stuff like making love and going to social gatherings or walking in central park. We didn't worry about much. The bills were paid and there was little to do but sit back and enjoy each other's company. That was the way I liked it.

That is probably the reason we never fought either. What was to fight about? Everything was perfect, whereas Dimitri and I spend a good amount of time arguing, slamming doors and giving each other the silent treatment. What kind of relationship was that? The make-up sex was always pretty damn hot though. I guess if there was an upside to fighting a lot, that would be it.

I donned an apron and began helping Olena, Vika and Karo in the kitchen. Sonya of course was giving me an evil glare from where she was stirring the punch across the room.

"Wow Roza, that dress looks so fabulous on you. I can already see the drool pooling on the floor from my brother staring at you."

"Shut up Vika," I hissed uncovering a plate of Olena's special cookies.

"Oh those smell divine," I moaned bringing the plate to my nose so I could get a whiff of her homemade gingerbread.

"You should have one, I already did," she smirked.

I sighed. "That's okay. I really shouldn't. I have a shoot on Wednesday and I can't afford the calories," I said sadly.

"I think you look disgusting," Sonya muttered grabbing a cookie off the plate.

"Sonya, that was rude," Karo exclaimed.

"Well she does! Look at her. I'll bet that dress is an extra small. Do you see the way it doesn't hang right on her grotesquely thin frame? It isn't natural for your collar bone to jut out like that!"

I looked at her in awe. How dare she say I was too thin? Javier was berating me just last week because I had gained a pound and a half.

"She's right Roza," Vika said looking me up and down. "You do look unnaturally thin." Karolina nodded her head in agreement.

"Did you ever think that maybe I'm not too thin. Maybe everyone else is just too fat!" I spat angered by them agreeing with what Sonya had said.

"Roza, we're not ganging up on you. We just love you and you're unhealthy. Please just try to relax today and have a good time," Vika said putting her hand on my shoulder.

"Fine, whatever, I'm going to go see if my father is here yet," I said tossing my apron aside angrily. How dare they insinuate it was me who had the problem. Why did everyone think it was okay to be just another fat housewife?

_**Flashback**_

_**I gasped as I stepped on the scale. I had given birth to my son three months ago and couldn't believe I hadn't lost a single pound I'd gained during my pregnancy. He was a ten pound baby for God's sake. I should have at least lost ten pounds, instead the scale reported that not only had I not lost the twenty pounds I gained while carrying him, but that I had gained another five.**_

"_**This is ridiculous," I grumbled stepping off the scale and appraising my body in the mirror. I was eighteen years old with saggy swollen breasts and stretch marks. I'd always had a large chest, but being pregnant and now breastfeeding had increased their size even more. If I had a smaller ass I could have been a porn star with these babies, a fat saggy porn star. **_

_**I tried sucking in the roll of fat that had formed around my waist with no luck. My shoulders slumped and a tear leaked out of the corner of my eye. I thought the one thing I still had going for me was my looks, but I guess I was wrong. **_

"_**What are you doing in here? It's late." DImitri's voice startled me. I hadn't realized how late it was. Xander had gone down a little while ago and I'd come in here to take a shower and wash the spit-up out of my hair before bed and had gotten distracted by my reflection. **_

"_**Just admiring my lovely fat rolls," I said wiping my eyes with my hands before starting the shower. **_

_**I was still ogling my ugliness in the mirror when he began stripping off his own clothes wrapping his arms around my waist. **_

"_**You are so beautiful," he said brushing my hair away from the base of my neck kissing it softly. **_

"_**I've gained thirty pounds, have stretch marks and saggy tits and I smell like baby puke. How is that beautiful?" I argued.**_

_**He smiled caressing the length of my body with his rough hands. **_

"_**I love every part of you just the way you are Roza," he whispered capturing my lips in a sensual display of affection.**_

"_**I don't look like I used to," I pointed out. **_

"_**No, you don't," he said appraising my body with his eyes.**_

"_**You are so much more beautiful," he said pulling back the shower curtain as he lifted me into the tub with him. **_

"_**You're just saying that so I'll have sex with you," I said rolling my eyes as he set me down on my feet.**_

"_**Okay, then ask yourself this. Why would I want to have my way with you if I thought you were ugly or fat?" he asked. **_

"_**Because my father forced you to marry me and you have to because you're not supposed to be with anyone else," I argued. **_

"_**Roza, Roza, Roza, how many times do I have to tell you, even if Abe did not threaten my life and even if we didn't have Xander, I would have asked you to marry me anyway. Maybe not at seventeen, but I would have. You have to know that by now," he said taking my hands in his.**_

"_**You used to love me because I was beautiful and now I'm not," I sobbed.**_

"_**Do you honestly think that I fell in love with you because I thought you were pretty?" he chastised.**_

_**I nodded. **_

"_**You do remember we went when you were six right?" he asked shaking his head. **_

"_**Well I was cute back then," I pointed out.**_

_**He shook his head. "Roza, I never loved you because you were beautiful. You are beautiful to me inside and out because I love you. Everyday my love for you grows stronger and with that love you become even more beautiful. There is no woman out there that could ever compare to the way I see you," he explained looking into my eyes. "You became the most beautiful woman in the world to me the day you gave me our son and with every child we have, you will only become more beautiful in my eyes." **_

_**I swallowed back the tears and allowed myself to believe what he'd said. No one or at least no man could make up that speech on the spot. **_

_**End Flashback**_

Looking back on it now I smiled thinking about that night. I usually only remembered the bad times, but that was a pretty damn good night. We'd made love until the wee hours of the morning and Xander actually slept through the night. In the morning, Dimitri made bliny and then we took Xander for a long walk through the park ending up at our spot by the lake where Dimitri proposed. We were exhausted, but it was one of the few days we'd spent as a happy family.

I stopped in the bathroom and took a good look at myself in the mirror. I didn't think I looked bad at all. My dress was a little loose, but that's because I was used to having my clothing custom fitted. Besides Dimitri thought I looked nice. He couldn't take his eyes off me earlier. I huffed in annoyance deciding to let them think what they wanted and strutted back out to the party. My brother and Jill had arrived with Micah and he was playing with Zoya and a few of the other children on the floor while Jill watched from a short distance.

"Hey Rose!" she called waving at me.

"Hey Jill," I said walking over to where she was standing chatting with Lissa.

"Wow Rose that dress is really cute," she said brushing her hand over the sequins.

"Thanks, I got it at forever 21," I said.

"Don't you just love that store? I got these earrings there," Jill gushed. "I am sure you're used to shopping in all the designer shops. Do you know Calvin Klein?" she asked excitedly.

"Actually no, but I've met Carolina Herrera, Diane Von Furstenburg and Vera Wang," I offered.

"Holy cow she knows Vera Wang," Lissa cried almost fainting. "You have to introduce me!"

"Liss, it's really not all that exciting," I said more than a little bored with the conversation.

"Maybe not to you, but you're used to hob knobbing with Brad Pitt and Paris Hilton," she cried.

"I haven't met Brad Pitt or Paris Hilton," I said rolling my eyes.

"But I have met George Clooney," I said.

"I am so jealous of you right now," Jill said fanning herself.

"You must know some models though," Lissa mused.

"Sure, I've worked with Heidi Klum, Kate Moss and Elle McPherson," I rattled off. "Modeling isn't really that glamorous. It's a lot of prep work. I spend on average three to four hours in hair and make-up for a shoot that lasts twenty minutes or a magazine ad that they shoot forty different ways. It's really annoying sometimes."

"If you don't like it, then why do you do it?" Mason asked joining the conversation.

"I didn't say I didn't like it. It definitely has its perks. No one likes everything about their job. I mean do you like everything about your job?" I asked.

"Well maybe not everything," he admitted.

"Well see, but you like most of it."

"I'll bet she doesn't even know what you do for a living," Sonya snorted barging in on our conversation. She was really beginning to get on my nerves. The entire group became silent all looking to me for an answer.

"Of course she doesn't. She couldn't care less about any of us or what we do. Thank God she'll be gone after tonight," she said giving me a disgusted look as she stomped away.

I sighed. "She's right Mase, I don't know what you do and I'm sorry," I admitted shamefully.

"It's okay Rosie. That's in the past. We're going to move forward and forget about all of that right?" he asked squeezing my shoulder tightly.

I nodded pulling him closer for a hug. After talking with my friends a bit more and greeting Baba and Aunt Oksana I decided it was time for a must needed drink. I made my way towards the bar and had just poured myself a drink when something in the hallway caught my eye. It was Dimitri and Tasha. They were standing very close together and she had her hand on his shoulder. She moved closer and then they were kissing. My eyes widened as I took in the sight of them. He didn't pull away from her like I thought he would. Instead his hands curled around her waist drawing her closer to him as he deepened the kiss.

I didn't understand the emotions that overcame me as I continued to watch the two of them making out. I didn't realize how hard I was gripping the wine glass in my hand until it shattered all over the ground causing the couple to break apart.

The look of guilt on Dimitri's face was unmistakable as his eyes met mine. I stood there frozen, blood trickling down the side of my hand for what seemed like an eternity until Lissa cried out.

"Oh my God Rose! Your hand!" That drew everyone's attention to me. It was only a matter of seconds before Dimitri was at my side with a clean wet cloth.

"Come with me. We need to clean this up," he said ushering me upstairs to the private bathroom in Olena's room.

"What happened?" he asked. I winced as he used tweezers to pull out the tiny shards of glass that had embedded themselves deep into my skin.

"Nothing, the glass must have had a chip or a crack in it is all. You know how clumsy I can be," I said laughing it off.

"Well try to be more careful. You could have punctured an artery or something," he said cleaning my wound with antisceptic and applying antibiotic ointment before covering it with a large bandage.

"So, isn't your date going to be wondering where you are?" I asked broaching the subject of Tasha.

"My date is right here with me," he said lifting my good hand to his lips placing a gentle kiss on it before caressing my face with his other hand.

"I am not your date," I insisted pulling away from him.

"We came together and we're leaving together Roza. You are my date," he said putting away the first aid kit. "Besides, you look far too tempting in that dress for me to allow you out of my sight," he added gliding his hands over the small of my back causing a chill to run up my spine.

"Says the man who was just sticking his tongue down Tasha Ozera's throat," I spat.

"Ah so you did see that," he said with a smirk. "Glad to know I still bring out the green eyed monster in you."

"I'm not jealous. I have no reason to be. In fact, I was hoping she would be here so the two of you could hook up. I could stay over with Lissa if you guys want to use the bed."

"Is that a fact? Well then great. Why don't you do that. I'm going to go get Tasha after all I've been quite insatiable lately and since my wife refuses to put out and has just given me permission to have an affair I might as well take her up on it. See you in the morning sweetheart," he said tossing the rag in the hamper and heading for the stairs. Holy shit what did I just do? I thought as I watched from the landing on the staircase as he strolled over to Tasha and whispered something in her ear that made her smile widely. I watched as he went to get her coat and escorted her outside to the truck. As he was pulling away effectively stranding me here he had the nerve to wink at me.

With my fists balled up at my sides, I returned to the party. Why did I even care? It wasn't as if he hadn't already slept with her and probably half the town already. Besides if he went to bed with her tonight then I was off the hook for taking him to New York. That was so not the best way to win back my heart and would effectively break our deal.

"Rose did I just see Dimitri leave with Tasha?" Lissa asked as I wandered over to the bar pouring myself a glass of something strong.

"Yep," I confirmed that my husband had just left with some tramp to go have sex all over our house. I threw back the glass of vodka like it was water and poured myself another. This was sure to be a long sleepless night for me.

**Uh oh! Did she push him too far this time? Has he had it with Rose's attitude and is finally going to give in and sleep with Tasha? Will she forgive him if he does? Reviews put me in a good mood. You do want me in a good mood when I write the next chapter now don't you. Inspire me to be nice=)**


	14. Chapter 14: I've Been Set-Up

**Chapter 14: I've Been Set-Up**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy.**

DPOV

"Why do you have to treat her like that Sonya?" I growled pulling my sister aside after hearing her berate my wife again in front of her family this time. I was more than a little pissed that she was being so rude to Rose while I was trying so hard to wear her down so she'd realize she was still in love with me. My sister treating her like trash wasn't going to help my efforts.

"Dimka wake up and smell the coffee. She doesn't want you. She's playing nice so you'll sign the papers is all. Just sign them so when she leaves it will be good riddance," she pleaded.

"I'm not signing them. There's still something between us. I know she feels it," I insisted.

"Even so, why would you want her after what she did? Besides she's leaving soon. I heard her say she's getting on a plane Tuesday. How much can things change in two days?"

I sighed knowing she would ream me out for what I was about to tell her.

"I'm going to New York with her," I stated waiting for her to explode.

"What?" she screeched so loudly I had to pull her into the hallway. "Why the hell would you subject yourself to that kind of torture?"

"It won't be. I'll be fine."

"Oh you'll be fine watching her live with that other guy, kiss that other guy, sleep with that other guy, plan her New York wedding to that other guy?" she asked crossing her arms firmly over her chest.

"It won't get that far. I'm sure of it. Her walls are already crumbling."

"Oh yea, has she slept with you yet?" she asked.

"No, but we've been close," I admitted running my hand through my hair in frustration. I was more than a little disheartened that I hadn't been able to break her yet, but I knew I was close. We had actually made civil conversation the last few days. She seemed at ease last night while her family was over and I woke up to her baking her little heart out this morning which was shocking, but a really good sign.

I'd watched her scramble around the kitchen for about twenty minutes before making myself known. She had a Christmas record on, her old apron over my flannel shirt and was singing along with a smile on her face. The woman I'd observed this morning was a far cry from the one who had pounded on my door only a week ago. Her heart was beginning to thaw and I wasn't going to give up, not now when I was so close to getting her back.

"Well that's not the same. Do you think she'll refrain from being with him while you're there?" she asked indignantly.

My heart dropped as I realized she was right. I had to find a way to keep her from being intimate with him. If they were alone and reconnecting like that then I didn't stand a chance and all the progress I'd made this week would be for nothing. I also didn't want to chance him planting his seed in my wife and losing her forever. I needed to get to her first. I needed her to make love with me just once and I knew that if we were together like that she'd be mine forever, but how?

"Dimka, I've been looking all over for you," Tasha crooned latching onto my arm. I groaned internally not telling her that she'd been looking for me all night because I had been purposely avoiding her. She was a nice girl, but she was clingy and it was kind of annoying.

"Tasha, it's good to see you too," I said squeezing her shoulder as I looked for an opportunity to get out of talking to her. Unfortunately there was no one around as I had dragged my sister into the secluded hallway and she had since disappeared leaving me alone with Tasha.

"Have you met the new girl?" she asked taking another sip of her wine.

"New girl?" I asked confused.

"Sure, I didn't catch her name, but she's a friend of your sister Viktoria. Dark hair, thin, pretty," she went on. I had a feeling she was talking about Rose. If only she knew that the quote unquote new girl was my wife.

"You mean Rose?" I asked pointing her out as I tried to inch Tasha closer to civilization.

"Yes, she's real nice. I met her at the store. She was real helpful. She told me everything," she said placing her hand on my shoulder giving me a strange look.

"Everything?" I asked wondering what she meant by everything. She couldn't know that Rose and I are married because she woudn't like her so much if she did.

"Dimka, I know you've been fighting your feelings for me, but it's okay if you're shy. I can wait as long as you need," she said inching closer.

"What exactly did she tell you?" I asked.

"Just that you can't stop talking about me," she nearly squealed.

"Oh she did? Did she?" I asked as she continued to rub up against me. I was about to push her away when I saw Rose walk over to the bar. I decided that even thought it wasn't a nice thing to do, I was desperate so I allowed Tasha to make her move and as she kissed me I pulled her in closer wrapping my arms around her in a passionate display. It was hard to make it look real because I felt disgusted as my lips moved over hers, but it was worth the suffering if Rose was watching.

I let it go on for about a minute before we heard shattering glass. We pulled apart abruptly to see what happened. I didn't see any broken glass at first. All I could see was Rose staring at us with a pained look on her face. It wasn't until Lissa screamed that my eyes were drawn to Rose's hand. She must have broken a glass. There was still some in her hand and blood was trickling steadily down her arm as she stood frozen.

I jumped into action immediately taking her upstairs to clean her wound. It pleased me that she had been jealous, but that pleasure soon turned to dismay as I remembered what she had told Tasha. I couldn't believe that she wanted the things she said. She'd all but given me a license to cheat on her. I stormed out of the room fully intent on giving her what she wanted.

"Hey Tash, how about we get out of here and go somewhere," I whispered suggestively in her ear as I corralled her towards the coat rack.

"Sure, wherever did you have in mind?" she agreed easily as I helped her into her coat.

I could feel Rose's eyes burning a hole through us as I escorted Tasha out to the truck. I also knew my mother and sisters were displeased with me by the looks on their faces. The only exception to that was Sonya. She had a smug look of satisfaction on her face as she looked between me and Tasha and then to Rose who was still standing at the top of the staircase.

I was seething at the fact that she had set this up. All of the progress I thought we'd made had been in my head. We'll see just how much she regrets what she said when I'm through, I thought driving towards our house ready to make good on my threat. If she could be with Ivashkov then I could be with Tasha.

"Would you like another drink?" I asked as Tasha made herself comfortable on the couch.

"Sure, I'd love some more wine."

I pulled out a bottle of white wine and poured two glasses before joining her on the couch.

"Wow, I think this is the first time I've been to your place," she said looking around. "It's very nice. Did you decorate it yourself?"

"I had a little help from my mother and sisters, but yes most of it," I said hoping she didn't notice the photos of Rose and I on the mantle.

"Well you have good taste," she said setting down her wine glass licking her lips as she moved forward. I closed my eyes and kissed her, softly at first, but becoming more fervent as she responded eagerly. She moaned opening her mouth, allowing me entrance and I took the opportunity to plunge my tongue into her mouth giving into the pleasure. I was in a haze as I continued to grope her leaning her back against the cushions as my hands fumbled with the clasp on her dress. It was a matter of seconds before I had her out of the dress and straddling my lap in nothing but her lacy undergarments. My hands roamed the length of her body and I allowed her to unbutton my shirt tossing it to the floor beside her dress. My head reeled at the electricity that flowed through my body. Although she wasn't Rose, I found myself pleasantly aroused by her soft skin upon mine, after all I was a man in his prime and I had been quite sexually frustrated these past seven years. Tasha was a beautiful, sexy woman and she wanted me so I allowed myself to forget my troubles and give in to the heat of the moment. I hadn't realized until just now how good it felt to feel wanted and to know that someone cared for me like that even if I couldn't return her feelings. More clothing came off and until we were both entirely bare.

"Oh Dimka, you don't know how long I've been waiting for this," she moaned pressing herself even tighter up against me so I could feel the heat of her core right up against my throbbing erection. I leaned my head back against the couch allowing her to explore my chest with her lips. Why had I waited all this time to be with her? Damn she was hot, I thought grasping her hips squeezing her fine little ass tightly as I ground her against myself desperately trying to hold out long enough to make this last. I flipped her over so she was lying flat on the couch and was just about to make us one when I caught sight of the apron Rose had been wearing this morning draped over a kitchen chair. I stopped what I was doing abruptly, jumping to my feet as I quickly shimmied back into my boxers.

"What's the matter?" she asked, her chest heaving as she pulled herself into a sitting position.

I let out a breath. "I can't do this," I muttered taking a seat in the chair, putting my head in my hands. I absolutely couldn't do this, not here on the couch where Rose was supposed to be sleeping tonight. Not on the same couch that Rose and I had been in this exact same position not three nights ago. Being with Tasha was wrong. It felt wrong. Being here like this with Roza had felt right. I hated myself for the hold she had over me, but I knew that this was a trap. This was her plan, to get me together with Tasha so she could claim infidelity and get me to sign the papers out of guilt. Well that was not going to happen. I was going to New York with her whether she liked it or not. I'd waited seven long years for my second chance with her and there was no way in hell I was going to fuck it up by taking Tasha to bed tonight. I was horny as hell, but this wasn't worth it. The only woman I wanted beneath me was her and I was determined to make that happen.

"What do you mean? Do you have some sort of problem, you know down there?" she asked probably having noticed my now very flaccid condition. "If you do that's okay. I'm a very patient woman and I don't mind a challenge," she said trying to climb back on top of me.

"No, Tasha that's not it. I haven't been very nice to you. In fact, I've been horrible to you. Please put your clothes back on."

"Geez, I don't know what is the matter with you sometimes. You're so hot and cold. One minute you're kissing me and taking off my clothes and the next you're pushing me away. What is it that holds you back and I deserve to know the truth," she demanded pulling her dress back on.

"You do deserve the truth and I'm sorry for treating you so poorly. You're a very nice young woman and any man would be lucky to have you, but I'm not the guy for you Tasha."

"Why not. What's wrong with me?" she cried tears pricking her eyes. I felt like a heel. I wasn't that guy. I hated myself for the way I'd treated her.

"There isn't anything wrong with you," I told her pulling a very worn photo out of my wallet.

"I haven't been honest with you. It's difficult for me to talk about my past, but I think I owe you an explanation."

"I'd say you do," she said crossing her arms over her chest.

I sighed taking a deep breath before beginning. "When I was young, I fell in love with a girl I'd known my whole life. I asked her to marry me and we had a son together," I told her.

"You have a son?" she asked seemingly surprised.

"I did. His name was Alexandr."

"Was?" she gulped nervously.

I nodded forcing myself to continue. "He had a rare brain condition that we didn't know about until one night when he was seven months old. He had a seizure and he didn't make it," I said getting a little choked up. I'd never actually told anyone what had happened. Most people had heard and no one ever brought it up.

"Dimka, I'm so sorry. I had no idea," she said rubbing my arm soothingly.

"What happened to your wife?" she asked.

"The stress was too much for her and she and I spent the last seven years apart."

"What does that have to do with us though? You said you've been divorced seven years," she asked quietly.

I shook my head. "I said we've been apart, but we aren't divorced."

"Oh," she said sitting back. "You're married?"

I nodded. "I am," I said handing her the photo I'd pulled from my wallet. It was of Rose and Alexandr. It was taken the day he was born. She was in her hospital gown holding him in her arms. She had been so exhausted, but once she'd see him, she'd fallen in love and couldn't stop smiling. I looked at that picture on average three times a day for the past seven years. It was what kept me sane.

Tasha's eyes widened as she took a good look at the photograph.

"Rose is your wife?" she gasped.

I nodded. "She is and I'm sorry, but I'm still in love with her and I thought I could make her jealous by bringing you home with me tonight. It was a really shitty thing to do and I'm so sorry. I should have been straight with you from the first day we met.

"Yes, you should have," she said rising to her feet.

"I will take you home if you want," I offered.  
"Thank you. I think that would be best."

After dropping her off and making sure she got inside, I drove around for about an hour to clear my head. I ended up deciding to drive back to my mother's house. Rose deserved to spend the night thinking I'd slept with Tasha, but my desire to win her back outweighed my desire for revenge.

It was late and the majority of the guests had dissipated. The only people standing around in the living room were Christian, Mason and Ivan. My mother and sisters had already begun cleaning up in the kitchen.

"Where's Rose?" I asked as I entered through the front door.

"She's upstairs lying down. She isn't feeling well," Mason said his jaw clenched in anger. "No thanks to you."

I shook my head and put my hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. Nothing happened. You know me. I wouldn't do that to her. I was angry with her and I made a split second decision and it was a poor one. I drove Tasha home." I headed for the stairs, but Mason stood in front of me blocking my path.

"You know I believe you, but I think you should just leave her be tonight dude, she's really drunk and I don't want to see her get hurt."

"Yea, she's in a real bad way," Christian piped in. "She ate like three brownies and a whole plate of your mom's gingerbread cookies. I even saw her pound down some of those bacon wrapped appetizers."

I let out a breath of air, but didn't make a move to go upstairs again.

"She'll be alright. Lissa and Vika are going to stay with her tonight. Why don't you go home and get some sleep and come back for her in the morning. I'm sure things will look better after a good night's sleep."

I nodded taking Mason's advice. I'd wanted her to be jealous, but I didn't want to hurt her which is what I ended up doing. I said goodnight to my mother who ripped me a new one for poor behavior and told me it would be a good lesson to me if Rose never spoke to me again. I hoped that wasn't the case.

I was too wound up to sleep so I stayed up packing my suitcase for our trip on Tuesday. I only hoped there was a relationship left to salvage in the morning.

RPOV

"Are you feeling any better?" Lissa asked after I finished retching up the last of the cookies I'd stuffed down. She'd been the dutiful best friend and held my hair back.

I nodded hugging the side of the toilet as if it were my lifeline.

"You really shouldn't have had so many shots," she scolded. She and Vika helped me over to the bed, Dimitri's old bed. It was the one we frequently fell asleep in as children and the one we secretly made love in when we were teenagers while Olena was at work.

"I know," I moaned as my head pounded. I wanted to admit that it wasn't just the liquor and two plates of cookies I'd eaten that were making me ill. It was the thought of what Dimitri and Tasha were doing in the bed we used to share that was making my stomach tied in knots. I knew I had no right to care what he was doing and that it was for the best, but damn it I was jealous. So jealous it hurt. For the first time since I came here I realized that I still had feelings for Dimitri. I thought I was over him, but after the events of tonight I realized I'd been sadly mistaken. I couldn't deny it anymore. I'd always known that was still physically drawn to him and who wouldn't be with a body like his, but it was more than that. It had been a long time since I'd thought about how I felt the first time I knew I was in love with him and those feelings were slowly clawing their way to the surface. I took a deep breath and a sip of the water Lissa was holding out for me willing myself to squelch down those feelings. I was engaged to Adrian. I loved my life in New York and I wasn't about to give all of that up because I was jealous that my soon to be ex husband was sleeping with a trampy hoe.

In the morning when I saw him, I would be strong. The only reason I was even remotely jealous was because being back here was stirring up old feelings, feelings that would fade the longer I stayed away from here and from him. Surely he wouldn't insist on still accompanying us to New York now after tonight and even if he did, he would see how in love I was with Adrian and run crying back to Russia with his tail between his legs. I knew him and he wasn't going to like the way I lived and that would be that. He wasn't cut out for the New York lifestyle. He would sign the papers and we'd forget the past and we'd both be free to move on. Right, like life is ever that simple, I thought as I drifted into a fitful sleep.

**Well that didn't go as planned=( I know we all hate Rose right now and that she's being a total Bitch, but she's changing, slowly but surely. Do you think Adrian is going to notice the change in her when they get back to New York? How will Dimitri keep her from sleeping with her fiancé? Do you think she's right about him not being able to handle her life in New York? Can you think of any issues that might arise while they are there? Will Adrian find out her secret? Check out my new poll on my home page. Thanks for reading. All reviewers get to join the mile high club with the Russian on their flight to New York=)**


	15. Chapter 15: New York, NY

**Chapter 15: New York, NY**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy, but I hope Santa brings me a hot Russian for Christmas=)**

**Don't forget to check out the pole on my home page**

**DPOV**

"Dimka will you stop pacing the floor. She'll be up when she'd good and ready," my mother scolded me as I continued to wear a hole in the floor.

"Have some coffee and some breakfast. It will make the time pass more quickly than gawking at the staircase waiting for her to come down," Karolina added placing a mug of hot coffee on the table and a bowl of oatmeal.

I sat down knowing that if I didn't, I would only drive them and myself even more insane. I hadn't slept a wink worrying about what would happen when I saw her today. I wished my family would make themselves scarce so we could be alone, but alas, that wasn't how it worked in this house. Everyone always knew everyone else's business. Usually it wouldn't bother me, but discussing a sensitive subject with my wife in front of an audience was bound to be uncomfortable.

It was nearly eleven o'clock before she came down. I jumped out of my seat pulling out a chair for her so she could sit down. I couldn't read the look on her face. It was very neutral. Her make-up was done and her hair was pristine. She looked neither angry nor upset and that worried me.

"Would you like something to eat?" I asked placing a cup of black coffee in front of her.

She nodded. "Pancakes and bacon," she requested.

"Okay, Mama where do you keep the pan…?" I trailed off.

"Bacon?" I asked giving her a funny look.

She shrugged. "I'm so hungry and I had a piece last night and now it's all I can think about," she said smiling sheepishly.

"Pancakes and bacon it is," I said as Mama handed me the pan. She and Karo took the hint that I wanted them to hit the road and made excuses before leaving us alone.

We didn't speak as I watched her pour half a decanter of cream into her coffee along with three lumps of sugar. When the pancakes were ready I set them in front of her raising my eyebrow as she not only put butter on them, but a whole lot of syrup as well.

"Do you have any chocolate chips?" she asked, her voice muffled by the pancakes that were crammed in her mouth. I smiled happy to see her eating some normal food for once and went to get them from the cupboard.

"Roza, I want to talk about what happened last night," I started.

"No worries," she said. "I'm glad you're finally moving on. I don't want you to be alone when I leave tomorrow. Now you'll have Tasha," she said sounding relieved.

I shook my head. "No, Rose I don't think you understand." I began trying to explain. She held up her hand.

"No need for explanation. You don't owe me anything. We've been apart for seven years. I have a fiancé and you have a lover. It's cool," she said crunching on a piece of bacon moaning in delight. That moan would have turned me on if it weren't for her nonchalant attitude about me supposedly having slept with Tasha.

"Rose, I want to be with you," I told her taking the seat next to her. "I don't want Tasha. I never have."

"Sure didn't seem that way last night," she snorted inching away from me. "Besides now it's easier. You don't have to come to New York. You can sign the papers and that will be that," she said.

I sighed. "I'm still coming to New York," I told her.

"What?" she cried, a look of apprehension crossing her face. "But last night," she started.

"Last night doesn't change the way I feel about you Roza. You promised me a chance to win you back and I have until January seventh to do so and I'm not backing out. We made a deal and I expect you to honor it."

"Well sleeping with Tasha was a hell of a way to show me that love," she spat jumping to her feet preparing to leave the room.

"I didn't sleep with Tasha," I said grabbing her arm forcing her to face me. "You know I wouldn't do that."

"Sure you didn't and I'm the Queen of England," she snapped pulling her arm from my grasp.

"I didn't," I insisted. "We came close, but I realized that if I slept with her I would lose you forever and I couldn't let that happen. She wasn't worth it. You are the only woman I want to be with," I insisted reaching out for her only to have her pull away from me.

"Whatever it still doesn't change things. You might want me, but I don't want to be with you," she said stomping back upstairs to get her things.

"This is so not good," I groaned banging my head against the wall in frustration.

"That's what you get when you do stupid things!" My grandmother's voice startled me from behind.

"Nothing happened," I insisted. She put her hands on her hips. "Okay, not nothing, but I didn't take her to bed," I reiterated.

"Give her time Dimka, she will come around. This other life she's living, it will catch up with her. You've given her a taste of what it's like to be back home with a loving family and when she goes back to where she thinks her heart belongs, she will realize that it still beats for you."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked.

"I have my ways," she said smirking. "Now stop playing games. If you want to win back her heart, you must be yourself," she chastised. "Now go home and shave, you look like a hooligan!" she ordered and when Babushka gave an order, you obeyed.

Rose hugged my mother and Karo goodbye and gave Paul a quick ruffle of the hair promising to e-mail often.

RPOV

"Is this how it's going to be the whole flight?" Dimitri asked nagging at me for the hundredth time since I refused to speak to him. We hadn't even boarded the plane yet and already he was annoying me.

I shrugged continuing to page through the magazine I'd brought along for the seventeen hour flight. I had planned to switch my ticket to first class when we arrived at the airport, but was unpleasantly surprised to see that Dimitri had already taken care of that for myself and for him. I thought I would be leaving him behind in coach. I had planned to get some much needed rest and relaxation before facing what was bound to be a very stressful three weeks, but was sorely disappointed to know that he had anticipated my move making it impossible for me to escape sitting next to him. Boy was this going to be a long flight.

"Rose, I am so excited to finally be seeing New York," Lissa gushed. She'd been flitting around like she had ants in her pants since the moment we arrived at the airport. In true tourist form, she'd bought every travel book on New York that she could find and even picked up a pocket translator even though her English was practically flawless. She insisted that she wasn't up to date on the current slang and didn't want to look stupid in front of my model friends. I hardly thought that Mia or Sydney would care if she didn't quite follow our conversations.

"I can't wait to see the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge…" she continued on and on and on about the things she wanted to see while she was visiting.

"Don't worry Liss, you'll have plenty of time to see all of those things," I assured her.

"You're going to come too aren't you?" she asked.

"I'm not sure that's going to be possible. I have a very busy work schedule these next two weeks and even so, I'm not really the person you want around you if you're trying to accomplish anything," I muttered.

"Why not?" she pouted.

"You'll see," I said.

Our flight finally boarded and Dimitri followed me into first class. It was just my luck that there were only two other people in the section and they were sitting at the very front leaving us pretty much secluded.

"Here let me get that for you," Dimitri said hoisting my bag up into the overhead compartment. Why the hell he had to be such a suck up I'd never understand. About an hour into the flight, I couldn't take it anymore.

"What? Why do you keep staring at me? It's creeping me out," I cried in exasperation. I'd reclined my seat ready to sleep for the next ten hours or so and he wouldn't stop staring at me.

"I'm sorry. It's just that you're so beautiful when you sleep and I've missed waking up next to you."

"Dimitri you have to stop saying things like that. I swear to God if Adrian finds out who you are, I will kill you and I mean it. I'm finally in a good place. Don't wreck it for me," I warned turning over so I was facing away from him.

"Adrian is not here right now Milaya and I have sixteen more hours to say and do whatever I want," he reminded me reclining seat back so we were parallel to each other.

"Do whatever you want. I'm going to sleep," I huffed grabbing fluffing my pillow. I was nearly asleep when I felt him scoot closer to me draping his arm over my waist pulling me closer to his body. I feigned sleep giving into the urge to snuggle closer to him. My brain was telling me that this was bad news and I shouldn't allow this behavior, nevertheless it felt good to be in his arms again one last time. I let him bury his face in my hair like I had the night we spent together on the couch and relaxed into his embrace letting the rise and fall of his chest soothe me into a peaceful slumber.

"Roza, it's time to wake up Milaya." His whispering voice slowly pulled me from sleep as I felt his lips graze my ear and then softly brush against mine. Ugh if I wasn't so aroused by his behavior, I would have slugged him.

"Are we there yet?" I asked stretching my arms over my head once I was back in a seated position.

"No, it's only been eight hours. They are serving dinner. I thought you might be hungry," he said as they placed trays in front of us.

I uncovered my own tray revealing a salad with red wine vinaigrette, humus, crackers and an apple.

"I ordered you the vegan meal," Dimitri explained. I nodded busying myself with the dressing for my salad.

"What's the matter? Isn't it what you wanted?" he asked a few minutes later as I continued to push my food around on the tray.

I shrugged. "Sure it's fine," I said my mouth watering as I eyed the steak and brownie on his plate. He cracked a small smile as he caught me drooling over his food.

"Do you want to trade?" he asked offering me his food.

"No, I really shouldn't. I already screwed up my diet this morning at breakfast," I said giving his tray one last wistful look.

"We could share," he said cutting his steak in half and placing one piece on my plate.

"No, I can't," I argued pushing it back on his tray.

"Roza, you shouldn't deprive yourself of normal foods. It isn't healthy for you," he said seemingly annoyed with my refusal.

"It does look really good," I said weighing my options. I had to be at work in thirty-six hours. If I ate the steak now, I could fast all day tomorrow and still be okay for the shoot.

"Just one bite," he bargained spearing a particularly juicy looking piece, bringing it to my lips in a teasing manor.

"What are you doing to me?" I moaned as I reached forward plucking the meat off his fork chewing slowly savoring every delectable moment.

"This is so good," I said taking a second and a third piece off of his plate. In a matter of a minute I'd eaten nearly everything on his plate including the brownie.

"Wow you are deprived if you think airplane food tastes good," Christian muttered having peeked in from the other section of the plane while he was in line for the washroom.

"Shut up Sparky," I growled.

I looked back at Dimitri's empty plate sheepishly. "Sorry Comrade, I guess I was more tempted than I thought," I apologized offering him my salad.

"It's okay Roza. It's good to see you with an appetite," he said his face crinkling into a smile as he shoveled my salad into his mouth without complaint.

"I'm starting to think you're a bad influence on me," I groaned as I patted my now very full belly.

"I think you have me confused with someone else," he snickered.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that every time I've been involved in a questionable scheme, it was your idea."

"Oh yeah like what?"

"Like the time we stole your father's car to go to Novosibirsk to see Bon Jovi."

I smiled thinking about that day. I was fifteen and Dimitri was seventeen and neither or our parents would allow us to go. They said it was too far, we were too young, and Olena didn't want Dimitri taking her old car all that way.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Where the hell did you get that car?" Dimitri asked as I pulled up behind the school where he was supposed to meet me before school. **_

"_**I may or may not have stolen it from Baba's hanger," I said mischievously. **_

"_**Well we're going to put it back," he said in a nervous tone.**_

"_**We are not," I argued.**_

"_**Where do we need to go so badly that we would risk stealing a car?" **_

"_**Bon Jovi," I said smiling widely as I held up two tickets to tonight's concert in Novosibirsk. **_

_**His eyes widened. "Where did you get those?" he asked incredulously as he held them in his hand.**_

"_**Happy Birthday Baby, now get in. We only have nine hours until the concert starts." After hemming and hawing for a few minutes a resigned look came over his face and I knew I'd won him over.**_

"_**Move over, I'm driving," he stated opening the driver's side door forcing me to hand over the keys.  
"Ooh Comrade, you know I like it when you're forceful," I purred. **_

"_**Only for you would I risk my freedom," he said kissing me softly before peeling out of the parking lot. We knew we'd been in deep shit when we came home, but it was one hell of a road trip and totally worth the punishment.**_

_**End Flashback.**_

"That was a fantastic day," I murmured leaning my head on his shoulder recalling how we'd screamed our lungs out at the concert and had been far too tired to drive back to Baia. We had slept in the car cuddled up in the back seat after making love under the stars. It was a truly magical night.

"That was probably the best birthday I've ever spent," he mused cracking a smile himself.

"Yea, until Baba called the police to bring us home and threatened to kill you for going along with my crazy scheme," I laughed.

"Ah so you do admit that it was your crazy scheme," he said raising his eyebrow. I rolled my eyes. "Of course, you only wished you were that cool. How did you spend your last birthday?" I asked curiously wondering if he'd spent it with Tasha.

"I didn't. I was at work in Novosibirsk alone in my hotel room," he said.

"And the one before that?" I asked being nosy.

"At my mother's, she made a cake like she does every year." My face fell. I thought for sure he would have had a girl to celebrate with at least one of those times.

"What about you?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Nothing special. Last year I was on a shoot and the girls surprised me with a vegan carrot cake."

"That sounds appetizing," he said making a face.

"It was really gross," I admitted.

"What about your fiancé? Didn't he do anything for you? I can only imagine what type of fancy soiree he could have thrown with all of his money," he muttered.

"Nope, no soiree, he did send flowers though," I said only telling him half the story so I didn't make him feel bad. In truth he had sent flowers and a dress and a diamond bracelet and then surprised me by flying us to Maui for the week. It was definitely a blast, but in reality a little overdone for twenty-five.

"Do you remember the last birthday you spent in Baia?" he asked.

I nodded biting my lip. Alexandr had been just about two months old and Dimitri had been at work all day. I was exhausted when Karolina and Olena had shown up at one o'clock and told me they were taking the baby for the night. I was a little shocked, but they told me not to fuss and to shower and change into something pretty. At that point very few of my clothes fit me and I wasn't quite sure what to wear. I decided to take a hot bath and relax for a while and I'd worry about it later.

When I got out of the tub I noticed a package tied with black ribbon lying on the bed. It hadn't been there when I'd gone in. Curious, I tore open the card.

_**~Happy Birthday Milaya. Wear this tonight and I will gladly rip it off you later**_

_**~Love Dimitri**_

My eyes widened as I pulled out a very simple, but elegant black dress. I put it on and marveled at how it hid my excess fat and minimized my butt and bust.

An hour later I was ready for whatever this supposed surprise was. As it turns out it was Dimitri coming home from work three hours early with a bouquet of flowers and Chinese take-out which was my favorite next to pizza. We spent the entire evening together eating, talking and true to his word, he ripped off my dress and we made passionate love for the first time since our son was born. All in all it wasn't' a bad way to spend my eighteenth birthday. The next afternoon Olena brought Alexandr back along with a cake and some of my friends and family came over to sing and celebrate with me. Looking back on it, it was the best birthday I'd ever spent and it still was even with the extravagant things I'd done these past seven years. I had never felt more loved than when I was surrounded by my friends and family.

"Are you okay?" Dimitri's voice and his hand on my shoulder snapped me out of my reverie.

I nodded. "That was a very good day," I said unable to keep the smile off my face.

"That it was," he said wrapping his arm around my shoulder allowing me to doze back off for the remainder of the flight.

DPOV

"Roza, wake-up we're landing," I said shaking her awake. It had been nothing short of any amazing flight. She'd let me hold her while pretending to be asleep, I'd gotten her to eat two normal meals so far today, we'd reminisced about some of our happier memories and she'd spent the last five hours snuggled up against me drooling on my shoulder. It didn't get better than this. I sighed sadly as the seatbelt sign went off signaling us to get off the plane.

"Now remember," Rose explained in great detail as we walked through the terminal.  
"Dimitri is a Vika's brother who came along because he is good friends with the group and that is all. Anyone who mentions the words husband, married or divorce papers is a dead man, "she said glaring at me and then at Christian.

"Don't look at me, I don't need to tell him to win you back," I said quietly in her ear. I could tell I flustered her as her cheeks began to get red. She'd spent the last twenty minutes of the flight furiously trying to tame her wild locks and frantically smearing on a whole bunch of make-up that she didn't need. She'd also changed her clothes in that tiny little lavatory.

"Is Adrian picking you up because that would be so romantic," Lissa said beaming.

"I told him not to, but he doesn't always listen," she groaned.

"You walk behind the group. I don't want any room for speculation," she ordered maneuvering her way to the front of the group before the doors were opened allowing us to flow out into the airport.

The minute we stepped out of the terminal flashbulbs went off in our faces and reporters swarmed around us.

"Rose, who are those people? Why were you in Russia? Are you still engaged?" One question after another bombarded her as a tall man dressed in black with dark sunglasses approached her. My first instinct was to protect her from whoever it was and I threw myself in front of her shielding her body with mine before he could get to her.

"What the hell are you doing?" she cried as the man spun around and held me against the wall with his hand around my neck.

"He looked suspicious," I growled.

"He's my body guard and you look suspicious," she said in annoyance.

"Let him go Mario, he's a friend," she said waving him off. He looked me in the eye, grunted and removed his hand from my neck.

"Well that was embarrassing," Vika teased as I fell into step with her.

"Shut up," I growled.

The entourage followed us out of the terminal and out the doors.

"Aren't we getting our bags?" Lissa asked.

"Actually they've already been claimed. Your car is waiting to take you to your hotel," Rose explained pointing to a car with a man standing in front of it holding a card that said Dragomir.

"You aren't coming with us?" Lissa asked pouting.

"Nope, I've got another engagement," Rose said smiling widely as she caught sight of a black town car pulling up. "I'll see you guys soon. Call me when you get settled after you rest a while and I'll have some dinner reservations made," she said hugging Lissa and Vika before turning her attention to the town car.

"Miss Hathaway, your car is here," Mario told her. I watched in horror as the door to the vehicle opened and out stepped Adrian Ivashkov himself looking dapper as ever in his long wool coat.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he called out opening his arms.

She broke out into a run and without giving us a second thought, she flung herself into his arms. "I've missed you so damn much my little princess. Don't you ever leave me again," he said pulling her close sticking his tongue down her throat as he lifted her off the ground in a disgusting display of affection.

"Sir, are you getting in the car?" the driver of our car asked as I noticed that everyone besides me was already inside. I couldn't drag my eyes away from her. She finally seemed to notice that I was still standing here. She glanced over her shoulder her eyes meeting mine for one fleeting second as Adrian helped her into the car and then she was gone.

"What the hell just happened?" I asked myself still gaping at the now empty parking spot.

**Uh oh! Rose has gone home with Adrian leaving her friends at the hotel. What is going through Dimitri's mind? What is he going to do to keep her away from Adrian? Reviews will entice me not to make the next chapter an R rated scene between Rose and Adrian=)**


	16. Chapter 16: Interruptions

**Chapter 16: Interruptions**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**This Chapter is 5000 words, my longest one ever! Happy Reading=)**

RPOV

Seeing Adrian again after being away for the week was surreal. I knew it would hurt Dimitri to see us together, but the way I saw it, he had brought any heartache he incurred here on himself. I'd repeatedly told him I didn't want to be with him and time and again he'd insisted I'd change my mind. If only he knew how close to changing my mind I'd been just a few hours ago, but alas there was one thing that held me back, a deal breaker for the both of us. We would never see eye to eye on it and we'd end up right back where we are today. He couldn't see it now, but down the road it would become evident to him that it wasn't meant to be no matter how much we loved each other, sometimes that wasn't enough to make a marriage work.

"I am never letting you out of my sight again," he breathed as he held me tightly in his arms. He hadn't been able to wait for them to unload my bags and told them to leave them at the desk and he'd send down for them later, before whisking me off my feet and carrying me to the elevator.

"You know I have legs right?" I teased as he set me down inside the door to our apartment.

"I know and what beautiful legs they are, but it was so much faster that way," he said pressing me up against the wall attacking me with his lips.

It was an odd sensation feeling his soft warm lips upon mine. His kisses were nothing like Dimitri's had been. They were soft and sweet, but held none of the passion or urgency I'd become accustomed to this past week. It was almost as if he thought he'd break me if he was too rough, whereas it wasn't uncommon for Dimitri to slam me up against a wall or take me up against the side of his truck when we were younger. Come to think of it, the only place Adrian and I had ever made love was in our apartment or a hotel and most of the time in bed. He lifted me off my feet still kissing me carrying me swiftly into the bedroom.

"You're not too tired are you?" he asked his face hopeful.

"Me, tired, never," I said grinning as he began removing my boots.

"But I am in desperate need of a hot shower," I said effectively stifling his attempt to remove my leggings. He pouted a little, but I knew he understood.

"I'll pour you a hot bath," he said bringing his lips to my hand and placing a gentle kiss over my engagement ring, which I'd neglected to wear all week in order not to hurt Dimitri, but had remembered to put back on before stepping off the plane. The paparazzi would have immediately noticed its absence and that would have opened me up to a whole lot of scrutiny.

I soaked in the tub for a good hour debating on how to go about explaining the presence of my friends and Dimitri and coming up with a plausible story as to why I took off to Russia without implicating myself in the epic disaster that was my past. When I emerged he was waiting for me at the dining room table, tapping his fingers nervously.

"We need to talk," he stated simply. He had been courteous enough to wait until I was comfortable, but I knew he wasn't going to let it go. He'd been very patient with me the last few times we'd spoken on the phone, but I knew I was at the end of my ropes.

"I know," I said pulling out a chair across from him knowing it was inevitable that he would find out the truth. I just wanted to be the one to control the when and how.

"What do you want to know?" I asked. I figured it would be better to let him come up with the questions so I wouldn't have to volunteer information that was unnecessary.

"What do I want to know?" he asked. "Well for starters, why did you lie and say you had no family when that clearly isn't the case?"

"It's complicated," I said not really knowing how to explain it without blowing my secret.

"I have time and I'm listening," he said placing his hand over mind squeezing it supportively.

I sighed this was going to be more difficult than I thought.

"When I was young my father and brother had very different ideas about what they thought I should do with my life than I did. I come from a very small town in Russia and I felt trapped there. They wanted me to stay and live a simple family life with a husband and children."

"I see," he responded.

"When I expressed my desires to lead a different lifestyle, they didn't respond well so I was forced to take desperate measures so shortly after I turned eighteen, I packed my things and left. I haven't been back or had any contact with them since."

"I'm sorry you had to do that," he responded buying my story hook line and sinker or so I thought.

"I know you, and I can see how staying in a place like that would have stifled your potential, but why go back now and why lie to me about where you were going? It doesn't add up Rose. You made it sound like they beat you or something." His tone of voice told me he knew I was withholding information.

"It wasn't like that," I said shaking my head. "Please just trust me when I tell you that everything is fine. I went back to tell my father I was getting married and to make amends. He had a stroke and I feel terrible about the way I left things," I said hoping to play on his sympathy.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said pulling me into his arms. "Did everything go alright?"

I nodded. "For the most part. We talked things over and came to an understanding. They agreed not to meddle in my affairs and I agreed to call and e-mail and make visits," I said leaving out the fact that I was still trying to get my husband to sign divorce papers and that he had followed me to New York in hopes of winning me back.

"Your family is welcome here anytime," he said rubbing my back. "Do you think they will come to the wedding?" he asked.

"It's funny that you should say that," I said seeing my opening to bring up the sudden appearance of Lissa and the rest.

"Why is that?" he asked.

"Well, I brought a few friends from back home. They wanted to see the big city and I wanted to show them where I lived and take them to one or two of my shows and such. They were eager to meet you," I said although I wouldn't really call Dimitri wanting to beat the snot out of him eager, more like violent.

"Well then I am eager to meet them as well. Should I call for dinner reservations?" he asked. Being the impeccably well-mannered man he was, he wouldn't show that this was an obvious inconvenience on such short notice and he would also give up the time he had planned to spend with me alone without complaint. That was one of the things I loved most about him. He was easy going and wasn't easily flustered by a sudden change of plans.

"So who am I meeting tonight?" he asked as we readied ourselves for dinner.

"Well there's my old best friend Lissa and her boyfriend Christian, my friend Ivan and my friend Viktoria and her brother Dimitri. You'll love Lissa, she's really sweet. Christian can be really annoying, but she loves him so I tolerate his irritating personality."

"What about the others, this Ivan guy? What is his purpose here?" he questioned suspiciously, as he splashed on his aftershave. I raised my eyebrow.

"Well now is someone jealous?" I laughed nervously.

"Not jealous, I just want to know your friends better. He's not like an old boyfriend or something is he?" I nearly poked myself in the eye with my mascara wand at his question.

"Nope, never dated Ivan," I said honestly. I just prayed he wouldn't ask that about Dimitri.

"Good, then we shouldn't have any problems," he said coming up behind me, kissing my neck as he placed a very expensive diamond necklace around my neck.

"What is this for?" I asked.

"Just because," he said fastening the clasp.

"It's beautiful," I said running my hands over the large stone and then the smaller ones.

"Nothing holds a candle to your beauty my love," he whispered kissing my neck again and then my ear and finally turning me to face him. "There aren't words to describe just how spectacular you are," he said slowly bringing his lips down to mine. His hands curled around my waist and I wrapped my arms around his neck hugging him tightly. This is where I belonged. All I had to do was make it through the next three weeks and I'd be home free. Let's just hope dinner went well tonight and that Dimitri behaved himself.

DPOV

"Dude you have to relax. She's been with him over three hours now. If they're going to get it on, then it's probably too late," Ivan said as I continued pacing the floor of our very nice luxury suite at the Plaza compliments of Rose.

"She won't do anything," Lissa insisted.  
"How are you so sure?" I asked pounding my fist on the wall. I was really upset right now and my friends were not very comforting.

"I know Rose. She might think I don't, but I do. She's still my best friend and despite what you might think, her heart is more open to you than it was just a week ago. You've put the idea of the two of you out there and it's going to influence every decision she makes from now on. Just wait and see. I'll bet you a hundred bucks, you two are back together by American Christmas," she said.

"I'll take that bet," Ivan said smirking.

"I'm in," Christian agreed.

"This isn't a game," I growled. This is my life and I don't appreciate how lightly you're taking this."

"Dimka, you need to calm down. Roza just texted that they're going to meet us for dinner in a few hours so why don't you take a hot shower and a chill pill and meet us downstairs at seven," my sister said putting her hand on my shoulder.

I nodded taking a deep cleansing breath. I had to come up with a way to keep her away from him tonight, but what? I hoped I wasn't already too late.

"What is the name of the restaurant Rose is taking us to?" Ivan asked.

Vika opened her phone to check the text Rose had sent.

"It's called Brasserie 110," she said.

"That sounds fancy," Lissa said assessing her attire. "Do you think we are dressed okay?"

"What are you worrying for? You look perfect," Christian said kissing her cheek.

I glanced down at my own good pair of jeans and flannel shirt wondering if I should have made an effort to find something more suitable. Ivan and Christian were dressed much the same as I was and Vika and Lissa wore simple sweater dresses.

"We are all dressed just fine," I said hoping I was right all the while knowing I was wrong.

We waited in the lobby of the hotel for a few more minutes before we saw a stretch limousine pull up. My eyes bugged out of my head as the door opened revealing Rose and Adrian.

"A limo?" Lissa gasped awestruck at the lavish accommodations. We all piled into the car and as luck would have it, Rose sat sandwiched between Adrian and myself.

"Let me make some introductions," Rose started. "Everyone, this is my fiancé Adrian Ivashkov. Adrian his is Lissa, Christian, Ivan, Viktoria and Dimitri," she said pointing each of us out.

"It's so nice to meet Rose's friends from back home," he said clasping her hand in his causing red hot jealously to rip through me as his other hand rested on her bare thigh.

"Calm down Dimka," Vika hissed as she could feel me tense up. The ride was short, but every time we hit a pothole, I was thrown a little closer to Rose. Her eyes met mine and I could tell it was making her uncomfortable that I was here.

"We're not underdressed huh?" Vika snorted glaring at me as we arrived at the very upscale restaurant. I sucked in a breath of air as Adrian helped Rose out of her coat revealing a short sparkling black dress and stilettos high enough to make her stand about six feet tall accentuating her long legs. To make matters worse, her fiancé was dressed in a smart charcoal suit with a tie and expensive looking cufflinks. The rest of us looked entirely out of place compared to the other patrons who gawked at us as we walked past. Upon entering, the hostess greeted us right away with a big smile.

"Mr. Ivashkov, Miss Hathaway it's so good to see you. We have a special table all ready for your party in the back," she said beckoning us to follow her.

"What are those people doing?" Vika asked as people stared at our group holding up their phones.

"Don't mind the onlookers. It's rare for Rose and I to go anywhere without people flashing cameras at her. She is the quite the beauty if you ask me," he said smiling at her as he put his hand on the small of her back as he guided her to her seat, pulling out her chair for her.

"That she is," I muttered not enjoying his hands all over her.

"There are no prices on the menu," Christian whispered. He was to my left and Rose was to my right.

I sighed pouring over the selection of pricey looking foods not wanting to know how much the bottle of champagne Adrian had commanded must cost.

"Have you decided?" the waiter asked.

"I don't understand half the items on here," Lissa said sighing in frustration. I wanted to confess to her that I didn't either. This was either an Italian or French restaurant and the menu was not easily understood by us regular people.

"Liss you like seafood right?" Rose asked. "Why not try the Lobster Mayonnaise. I've heard it's divine," she suggested trying to help out her friend.

One by one, we placed our orders. I decided it didn't matter the cost, we were already in way over our heads so I went ahead and ordered a steak.

"So how long are all of you staying?" Adrian asked.

"Until Russian Charismas on January seventh," Lissa said.

"I didn't know there was a difference. I guess I learn something new every day," he said putting his arm around Rose. If I wasn't mistaken, he was giving Ivan the stink eye.

"Since you've known Rose so much longer than I have how about some childhood stories. Do you have any dirt on her?" he asked. I could see the apprehension on Rose's face as she brought her champagne glass to her lips.

"I have a ton," Lissa laughed. "Where should I start?"

"How about the one where Rose played that prank on Alto?" I suggested trying to make sure she steered clear of any story that would tip him off that Rose and I had a romantic history. If he figured it out, he would watch her like a hawk and I'd never get her alone.

"Oh yea, Rose hated our English teacher Mr. Alto so one day while he was at lunch she snuck into his classroom and put superglue all over his chair. Dumb old Stan came right into class and plopped down. A few minutes later, the fire alarm went off and his ass was stuck to the chair so he couldn't get out of the building. It wasn't a scheduled drill so he was freaking out and kept yelling fire fire help me! It was so funny. One of the other teachers had to come in and cut him out of his pants so he could get out of the building."

"Was the building really on fire?" Adrian asked.

"Nope, Rose paid some freshman to pull the fire alarm," Christian said grinning.

"Well well weren't you just a little devil," he said.

"That I was," Rose said sighing in relief as she gave me a grateful look."

"You know I find bad girl Rose a huge turn on. Tell me more," he said seeming very intrigued.

Christian told everyone about the time his uncle, the grocer had called the cops because Rose had eaten an entire bag of cookies while grocery shopping and refused to pay for them stating that if she didn't take them out of the store, then she didn't have to pay.

Our food arrived and everyone began to dig in.

"What's the matter Miss Hathaway? Is yours not cooked to your liking?" the waitress asked as she took notice of Rose's lack of appetite.

"No, no everything is just great. I'm just not all that hungry," she said taking a few quick bites of the tofu something or another she'd ordered.

"This one here is about as picky as they come," Adrian announced. "You'll be lucky if she eats three or four bites of anything."

"Don't you find that unhealthy?" I asked knowing I was stirring up trouble, but I couldn't help myself. The guy was as dense as they came.

"Eh, you know how those models are always trying some new fad diet," he said shrugging as he continued to eat his meal. Rose gave me a warning look kicking me hard under the table telling me to knock it off.

"So what are your plans for your stay here?" Adrian questioned as our plates were being cleared.

"We want to see everything," Lissa said pulling out her travel book. "Rose is going to take us to one of her shoots too and maybe a runway show if she has one."

"What about the Benefit for the Children's Hospital?" he asked looking at Rose. I bought a table and my parents aren't able to attend. "Would you like to go?" It's next Saturday.

"Oh wow, a real ball with all the celebrities?" Lissa exclaimed. "I need to go shopping."

"I think that's a yes," Rose said chuckling.

"Liss don't worry. I'll have my personal shopper book us some appointments for you and Vika to get dresses and for the guys to rent tuxedos."

"Oh this is going to be so exciting," she squealed.

"Yea, real excited," Christian muttered under his breath.

"What was that Sparky?" Rose asked glaring at him.

"I said I can't wait."

"That's more like it," she said.

"So what do all of you do for a living?" Adrian asked.

"I'm a teacher for the little ones," Vika said.

"I'm a nurse and Christian is the Sherriff in Baia," Lissa explained.

"I work at the factory," Ivan stated.

"What about you? Dimitri is it?" he asked his gaze resting on me.

"I head up a construction crew in Novosibirsk during the spring and summer months. It keeps me pretty busy," I told him resisting the urge to ask him if he ever went to work or did he just sit around and watch his bank accounts grow while others did the grunt work.

"That must be some hard work," he mused.

"Yes, it is tiring, but I enjoy what I do very much," I stated bluntly.

"Well good for you," he said.

"It's getting late and we've all had a long day, I think we should call it a night," Rose announced rising to her feet. We all agreed and followed suit.

"Wow Rose that's a very pretty necklace," Vika commented as we were putting on our coats.

"Thank you, it was a gift," she responded smiling at Adrian.

"Well I've never seen rhinestones that look so real before," Viktoria said taking a closer look.

"Well that is because they are not rhinestones. They are diamonds," Adrian said proudly.

"Diamonds?" Lissa stuttered, her mouth agape. "Real ones?"

"Straight from Tiffany. Only the best for the woman I love," he said kissing Rose's cheek softly. Her eyes met mine and her cheeks flushed crimson.

"Are you ready to go love?" he asked. She nodded allowing him to steer her out to the car that was waiting.

"What about the bill?" Christian asked nervously.

"Already taken care of," Adrian said signaling the driver that we were ready to leave.

"Must be nice to have money, Christian muttered under his breath kicking a stone on the ground as we walked.

"I thought two cars would be appropriate. You are all probably exhausted from your travels and Rose and I have some catching up to do. Goodnight, it was a pleasure meeting you all and I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon," Adrian said opening the car door for Rose. My heart was screaming at me not to let her go with him, but my brain was telling me that it was no use and to leave her be.

"Will you be meeting up with us tomorrow?" Lissa asked.

"My shoot is tomorrow at ten, can you be ready by nine? I can pick up anyone who wants to go," Rose offered.

"Sounds good," Lissa yawned.

"Goodnight, see you in the morning?" she said hugging Lissa and Vika. Her eyes lingered on mine for just a few seconds before she disappeared into the car.

"So what's your plan?" Lissa asked as the taillights of Rose's car blended into the mass of other cars.

I shook my head getting into the car. "What plan? You saw them together. They were perfect. She loves it here, the fancy cars, the expensive gifts, and the exciting nightlife. I can't compete with that," I said sighing dejectedly.

"If you give up now, you're not the man I thought you were," she said crossing her arms over her chest.

"Maybe she was right. I can't give her any of this. Hell I couldn't even afford to take her to dinner," I pointed out.

"She doesn't care about that stuff," Lissa insisted.

"Sure seems that way."

We all headed back to our suite. I readied myself for bed taking out my phone looking at the photo Vika had texted me. It was of Rose and I at Mama's house the night of the Christmas party, before everything went to hell. We were just standing next to each other talking, but the smile on her lips was unmistakable.

I got up and put on my clothes with new determination. I knocked on Lissa and Christian's door. If I was going to pull this one off, I would need her help.

"That is a brilliant idea," she said her eyes lighting up as I explained my plan.

"Yea, but I need to do it now. Do you think you can handle it?"

"Sure, no problem. Go there and wait. I'll text you when it's done."

I put on my coat and hailed a taxi. Time had never passed as slowly as it did as I sat at the designated spot waiting for word from Lissa.

RPOV

"So what did you think of my friends?" I asked biting my lip nervously. Dinner had gone pretty well and I'd have to remember to thank Dimitri for steering Lissa in the right direction earlier. Who knew what kinds of stories she would have told. She tended to get overly excited and blurt out things she shouldn't.

"They're nice, but next time maybe you could give them a few tips on what is considered decent attire," he said as we pulled up in front of our building.

"You know they're from a small town. They're not used to this atmosphere," I said defending my friends.

"I know and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. They were all very nice. I'm sorry if I offended you," he said kissing my cheek.

"It's okay," I told him.

"So, let's say we get to that quality alone time you've been promising me," he said running his hand over my décolletage in a seductive manor.

"I like the way you think," I said kicking off my shoes as he led me into the bedroom.

"You are so very sexy in that dress," he said slowly pulling down the zipper as he placed gentle kisses all over the back of my neck. He eased the dress down moving his lips to my exposed shoulders before pushing it down further until it was on the floor.

"It feels like it's been a lifetime since I've been alone with you," he murmured spinning me around so he could appraise my body.

"So beautiful," he said as I helped him out of his shirt and tie and undid his belt.

He lowered me to the bed hovering over me in just his silky black boxers, his green eyes boring into mine. "I have been fantasizing about this moment since the day you left," he murmured using his teeth to pull down the straps on my bra releasing my breasts.

I moaned in pleasure as he ran his hands up my thighs. I closed my eyes reveling in the feelings of pleasure his hands and lips evoked as he continued to caress each and every part of my body.

"You are wearing one item of clothing too many," he whispered his hands closing around the front of my panties.

"Well I guess you'll just have to get rid of them for me," I said using my toes to pull his boxers down.

He made short work of my panties pulling me into a sitting position.

"God, I want you so bad," he uttered turning me around so I was facing the headboard. This was definitely hot, but unexpected coming for Adrian.

"Ugh so hot," I moaned bracing myself against the headboard as he placed his hands on my hips before plunging himself deep inside of me.

"Do you like that?" he asked quickening his pace as he pulled my hair to one side exposing my neck.

"Ugh, God yes," I growled as he sucked gently on my heated skin using one hand to fondle my aching breasts.

As I neared my release, he pinched one of my nipples between his fingers whispering in my ear.

"Come with me Roza," he breathed.

"Oh Comrade," I moaned his grip on my hips tightening as he slammed himself into me with abandon.

"Wait Roza?" I cried trying to figure out what was happening. He flipped me onto my back hovering over me again and I was shocked to see Dimitri's brown eyes staring back at me, his long hair falling around his face as he continued to make me his.

"What?" How?" I gasped unable to think coherently as he continued to move inside of me. This could not be happening. How did he get in here and where is Adrian, I thought my eyes frantically searching the room for signs that we were no longer in my apartment, but we were.

"What's the matter Roza, you know you belong with me," he said pinning my hands above my head capturing my lips roughly with his.

"No, no," I cried, but while my mind was screaming no, my body was responding yes.

"Rose, Rose, wake up. We're home." My eyes flew open and I took in my surroundings. We were still in the car.

"What? What happened?" I asked bewildered as to what the hell was going on. My chest was heaving and I was more than a little aroused.

"Traffic was bad, the bridge was closed and you fell asleep. We're home," he repeated.

"Are you alright?" His green eyes showed worry. I ran my hand through my hair and took a deep cleansing breath. I must have looked a sight and I didn't want to have to explain my sexy dream to him.

"Yes, I'm okay, just tired I guess. It's been a long week."

"Seems like it," he mused holding his hand out for me to step out of the car. We hadn't been upstairs but five minutes when my cell phone rang.

"It's Joseph at the front desk," I told Adrian seeing the curious look on his face.

"What is it Joseph?" I asked trying to be polite. I was really tired and starving having been too nervous to eat much at dinner.

"Miss Hathaway, I am so sorry to disturb you, but a message just arrived by courier for you. It sounds important; would you like me to have it sent up?"

I sighed. "Sure, that would be fine. Thank you Joseph."

A few minutes later Adrian was checking his e-mails and I was slipping into more comfortable clothes when the messenger rang the bell.

"For you Miss," he said handing me an envelope. I thanked him ripping it open.

"Ugh," I groaned. "Really? This is so not my night," I cried in frustration.

"What is it?" Adrian asked coming up behind me.

"Javier, he's pissed that I've been gone all week and wants me to meet him to go over some things for tomorrow's shoot."

"Now?" he asked pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Seems like it," I mumbled heading for the bedroom.

"Why didn't he just call you?" he asked.

"You know him. He's too important to make his own calls. This is so typical," I groaned slipping into a pair of jeans and a sweater.

"Will you be long?" he asked.

"I don't know. You never do with him. I hope not, it's after ten. I need to get a few hours of sleep if he wants me to function tomorrow."

"Be careful. I love you," he said kissing me goodbye.

"I will. Love you too," I said blowing him a kiss as I exited the apartment.

**So three very important questions. Number one: What is the "deal breaker" Rose thinks exists between her and Dimitri. Number two: What is Dimitri's plan? Number three: Who was pissed when they began reading the love scene before they realized it was a dream=) 5000 words and a quick update deserves a review.**


	17. Chapter 17: Indecision

**Chapter 17: Indecision**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**Okay so some of you guessed right about what is holding Rose back from being with Dimitri. **

DPOV

I tapped my foot nervously as I sat at the Starbucks on the corner of 57th street sipping my espresso. Lissa had fulfilled her duty and I was awaiting the outcome. I knew she would be angry, but I had a plan to soften her up.

I saw her the moment she entered. She looked like a goddess even in her yoga pants and pea coat. She looked around for a few seconds trying to locate Javier, when her eyes rested on me. A look of surprise flittered across her face as she approached my table.

"What are you doing here? It's late," she said glancing at her phone.

"I'm here with someone," I said pointing to the cup sitting across from me on the table.

She regarded me suspiciously as she surveyed the room looking for my mystery date.

"Are you here with Vika?" she asked. I shook my head in negation. "Well then who?" she demanded.

"You," I said pushing the chair out from under the table motioning for her to sit.

She gave me a funny look clearly not catching on that I set her up. "I'm meeting my boss, but I guess he's late," she said glancing again at her phone.

"Have a seat and keep me company," I told her.

She shrugged taking off her coat, hanging it on the back of the chair.

"Now really who's coffee is this?" she asked picking up the cup.

"It isn't coffee," I told her. "It's peppermint hot cocoa."

She looked up at me realization dawning on her. "Javier isn't coming is he?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Not tonight Milaya."

"I should have known," she said rising to her feet, grabbing her coat off the back of the chair.

"Wait," I said grasping her wrist in my hand spinning her around to face me.

"What? You thought you could just drag me here under false pretenses and I'd what fall right back into your arms?"

"No, but it was the only way I could get you alone without raising suspicion," I said lowering my voice. There were only a few people around, but I didn't want to cause a scene and draw the attention of the media.

"Dimitri, I just got home. It's been a long day. Adrian and I were going to spend tonight together," she said huffing in annoyance.

"Precisely why I had to get to you first," I said pulling her back into the chair.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked crossing her arms in defiance.

"It means I don't want you to be with him Roza, not like that. I want a fair chance and I can't sleep at night knowing you're in bed with him," I hissed.

She sighed. "Dimitri, he's my fiancé. We've already been intimate many times before. I know it makes you upset, but I'm not abstaining from sex with my fiancé just so you can sleep at night," she said getting up, this time making it out the door before I could catch up with her.

"Roza, please just hear me out," I said following her out the doors. I'd left my coffee behind, but made sure to grab her cup.

"Why is it so damn important to you that I don't sleep with him?" she asked turning to face me.

"Do you even have to ask?" I shouted pulling her into the dark alley with me.

"Yes, I do. You were with Tasha, why should I abstain?"

"For the last time, I wasn't with Tasha that night," I said.

"Even if I bought that line of bull, you've been with other girls, a lot of them. What's the difference when it was?"

"There is a difference and if you must know, I haven't been with anyone else," I practically shouted.

Her eyes became wide as saucers as I made my admission.

"That's a lie. Just last week you admitted to having lost track of how many women you brought home," she said throwing my words back in my face.

"That's right. I have lost track of how many women I've brought home, but I never said I slept with any of them," I argued.

"Yeah right. You, Mr. horny as hell, can't keep his hands off of me, abstained for physical relationships for seven years? Do you think I was born yesterday? Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"Yes, because it's the truth. I brought them home, I took off their clothes, we went into the bedroom, but when I looked at our bed, all I saw was you. I couldn't make love to another woman while I'm still in love with you," I confessed.

"I know that makes me deranged, but it's true. I love you, and you are my wife. I can't bring myself to be unfaithful to you even if you can."

"That's just unbelievable," she stammered.

"Have I ever lied to you?" I asked placing my hand on her cheek, forcing her to see the sincerity in my eyes.

She shook her head. "No," she whispered a single tear making its way down her cheek.

"Shh, don't cry Milaya, I just want to spend time with you to show you that I'm that right man for you," I said wiping away the tear with my thumb.

"What did you have in mind?" she asked calming down a little.  
"Well for starters, I thought hot cocoa," I said holding out the cup for her."

"I can't, do you know how much sugar and fat is in there?" she said.

I shrugged. "If you don't want it, then I guess I will have to drink it," I said taking the lid off so the aroma reached her nose.

Just as I raised the glass to my lips, she stopped me.

"Maybe just a little taste," she said holding out her hands. I smiled handing her the cup. I knew she wouldn't be able to resist peppermint hot cocoa. It was her favorite drink, after vodka that is.

"What is it that you hope to accomplish on this trip?" she asked as we strolled through Central Park.

"To convince you to marry me again."

She stopped and gave me a strange look. "We are already married or so you keep reminding me."

"I know, but you didn't want to marry me back then. I want to show you that it was the right choice."

"That isn't true," she said taking a seat on a wrought iron bench.

"What isn't?" I asked taking a seat beside her.

"That I didn't want to marry you."

"That's not the way I remember it," I said thinking back to the day we were married.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Where's Roza?" Mama asked as I stood alone in the reception line greeting our guests. **_

"_**She wasn't feeling well," I lied. In reality she was in my bedroom crying her eyes out to Lissa because she didn't want to be married to me. **_

"_**Shouldn't you go and get her? You only have one wedding day after all and she wouldn't want to miss out on it for a little morning sickness," she said shooing me upstairs. **_

_**I sighed approaching the door to my bedroom. I was poised to knock, but instead decided to listen at the door for a minute. **_

"_**No, Liss, I can't go down there. It's too much. I didn't want this. Baba forced me." I inhaled sharply. It hurt knowing that she felt that way. She would never say it to my face, but I knew she resented me and in truth it was my fault. I was older than her and I should have taken better precautions to keep her protected. I'd been careless and robbed us both of the life we could have had. Sadly, I would never have that happy feeling one got when they asked the women they loved to spend the rest of their lives with them. I would never have that happy wedding day where my blushing bride would smile at me as she walked down the aisle gazing at me with love and adoration like I was the only man in the world and she couldn't wait to spend her life with me. **_

_**I would never have the experience of her being excited and saying yes, jumping into my arms and kissing me after I proposed. I wouldn't know what it was like to hear her speak her vows and truly mean them. Those are the things I would never experience, but even worse were the things I would never forget. I would never forget the look of devastation on her face the day I asked her to marry me. I would never forget that it wasn't her that told me about the baby she was carrying. I would never forget the way she sobbed hysterically the entire week before our wedding and cried all the way down the aisle. Most of all I would never forget her resentment towards me for ruining her life. Alas, I was a man of honor and I would do right by her and our child even if it was slowly killing me inside to know that her heart didn't ache for me the way mine did for her. The only thing that kept me going was the hope that she would one day realize that regardless of how or why we were married, that it was meant to be. **_

"_**Roza," I called knocking softly on the door. **_

"_**Go away!" she called. **_

"_**Roza, please let me in," I pleaded. **_

_**I heard the swishing of a gown on the other side of the door and was relieved as Lissa opened it allowing me inside. **_

"_**Can you give us a few minutes?" I asked.**_

"_**Sure," she said bowing out gracefully. **_

_**I looked to where Rose was sitting on the bed. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and her mascara had run all around her eyes. **_

"_**My mother wants you to come downstairs," I said taking a seat next to her. **_

"_**Please don't make me," she whispered sniffling. I pulled a handkerchief out of my pocket dabbing it under her eyes.**_

"_**Milaya, it is our wedding day. Don't you want to enjoy it just a little bit?" I asked. **_

_**She looked at me and my heart broke at the sadness that shown in her beautiful brown eyes.  
"No, I don't," she stated. **_

"_**Just come down for a little while and have some dinner," I wheedled hoping she would at least make an appearance. **_

"_**I'm not hungry," she responded. **_

"_**You have to eat something. You haven't eaten at all today," I reminded her.**_

_**She sighed resignedly. "Whatever you want," she said standing up.**_

"_**This isn't what I want," I told her. **_

"_**Then why did you ask me to marry you?" she asked. **_

"_**That's not what I meant. You know I want to marry you. I just want you to want it too," I said taking her hands in mine. **_

"_**I'm sorry," she sniffled. "I just don't." **_

_**End Flashback**_

"I was seventeen and pregnant Dimitri. I wasn't thinking rationally."

"Even so, I want this time to be different."

"And if it isn't?" she asked.

"Then I will sign the papers and leave. I don't want you to be with me if you don't really want it."

"That makes no sense at all. I keep telling you that isn't what I want and yet here you are in New York still hoping I'll change my mind," she cried in exasperation.

"It makes sense to me. I know you Roza, whether you want to admit it or not. I know you aren't happy here, not with him. You hide behind the walls you've put up and this fake persona you pretend to be, but it isn't you and I'm here to help you see that. Once you do, you'll realize you can never be happy here."

"You really think that I'm not happy here?" she cried. "Look around you. It is beautiful here with all the lights and excitement. I have a wonderful apartment, a great job, a loving fiancé. If you really think I'd trade all of this to shack up with you in that hellhole you call a house in Baia then you're more delusional than I thought," she shouted rising to her feet, tossing her cup into the nearest trash can.

"If you want me to leave, all you have to do is ask," I told her.

RPOV

I stood there plagued with indecision. I knew if I told him to leave that he would and walk out of my life possibly forever. Is that something I still wanted? I didn't know. Just hours ago I would have said yes and told him to leave without hesitation, but there was one thing that was stopping me. In seven years, he hadn't been with another woman. The minute he'd revealed that he'd been faithful to me, I felt like a filthy cheating whore. The fact that he managed to abstain from being physical with anyone for seven years proved his point as actions truly speak louder than words and while his actions had rivaled Ghandi, mine were as deplorable as the devil himself. Whereas he had proved not only his undying love, but his loyalty as well, I had done nothing short of treat him like a doormat leaving him high and dry when the going got rough.

There was no doubt in my mind that Adrian loved me, but I was beginning to see a big difference between those two loves. Adrian loved Rose the model, the rail thin, perfectly poised women who attended charity galas and looked good on his arm in the press. He loved the me that never argued with him, let him have total control and gave in to everything he wanted. The question was, would he still love me if he knew about my past. If he knew I was Turkish, got knocked up by my high school boyfriend, dropped out of high school to get married and then abandoned my family. I highly doubted he'd feel the same way about me if he knew the things I'd done and the lies I'd told. Even if he could get past all of that, I knew for sure that he wouldn't be able to keep it in his pants for seven days after we broke up let along seven years.

The difference was that Dimitri loved me unconditionally. He had known me my whole life. He knew every mistake, every fault, and every indiscretion including the fact that I had in fact spent the last two years being unfaithful to him. He had lived through the nightmare that was our past with me and had been heartbroken when I'd left him all those years ago. Despite everything and all the hell I'd put him through, here he was professing his love for me even though he knew I was far from the perfect woman I tried so desperately to convince Adrian I was.

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked, a dark look coming over his face.

I shook my head breaking down into tears. "I don't know. I'm so confused," I whispered.

"Come here Roza," he beckoned opening his arms for me. I stepped forward into his embrace allowing him to cradle me in his arms. I felt terrible that the only place I truly felt safe was in his arms and not in Adrian's.

"I know you are overwhelmed and confused and I'm willing to wait for your head to clear, but I can't do that knowing you're up there in that apartment making love to him," he said pulling back placing his hands on my shoulders as he spoke.

"Please just promise me you won't be with him until you make your decision," he pleaded.

"How will I do that without confessing the whole thing?" I stammered.

"You're a very intelligent women Roza, you'll figure a way."

"I don't know. It doesn't seem fair that you know what's going on and he doesn't," I reasoned.

"You're welcome to tell him anytime you want," he offered.

My shoulders slumped. "I can't hurt him like that unless I know I'm not going to be with him," I stated making up my mind.

"So you're just going to go home and make love to him without any regard for my feelings?" he snapped.

"Yes, no, I don't know," I said putting my head in my hands.

"And if he makes you pregnant?" he asked, his fists clenched.

My eyes flew open in surprise. "What? Is that what you're so worried about?" I asked.

"Not just that, but yes," he said nervously.

"Well you don't have to be. I'm not that naïve little girl anymore. I wouldn't let that happen."

"Anyone can have an accident Roza."

"We can't," I stated firmly.

"How are you so sure?"

"Because Adrian had a vasectomy!" I cried in exasperation.

"He had a what?" he asked his forehead wrinkling in concentration.

"It's an operation that prevents men from reproducing," I hissed. I thought is English was better than that.

His eyes widened. "He doesn't want children?" he asked.

"No, he doesn't."

"Do you?" he asked.

I knew that my answer would weigh heavily on his decision to stay here and be with me, but I wanted to be honest and the truth was, I couldn't go through that again. It was one of the reasons I knew that it would never work between us. He would want to start a family with me again and I wasn't so sure that was something I wanted.

"Roza do you?" he repeated and I knew I had to say something. I knew as soon as I opened my mouth and he didn't get the response he wanted to hear, he would look at me differently.

"No," I answered, watching the expression on his face closely. If there was a ever a way to break his heart even more to pieces than already had, then this was it.

He didn't say anything for a good minute and I was beginning to worry that he had gone a little mad.

"Dimitri," I started.

"Don't," he said holding up his hand. "I need some time." With those words, I watched him walk away from me this time.

I walked to the street wondering what I had just done. I caught a cab and made it home just before midnight. Adrian was of course waiting for me the moment I entered.

"How was your meeting? You seem upset," he asked noticing my obvious state of distress.

"It was fine. You know how brutal Javier can be. I'm just tired and he said some things that pissed me off. You know I cry when I'm frustrated," I said brushing off his concern.

He nodded accepting my answer easily. It was funny how easily I could lie to him. With Dimitri, I could never get away with it. He knew when I was lying and even then, I had never been able to lie to his face about anything important.

"So how about that alone time," he said pulling me close kissing my lips softly. I didn't object as he lifted me off my feet carrying me to the bedroom.

"Mmmm you taste sweet like chocolate," he mused lifting my shirt over my head. As he continued his minstrations and more clothing came off, I pondered the consequences of what I was doing. It would kill Dimitri if he found out I'd been with Adrian not an hour after he begged me not to, but then again, who knew if he even still wanted me after he found out my resignations about having a family with him. I decided to just relax and give in to Adrian's touch.

It amazed me that while Dimitri's touch evoked a very physical and emotional response in me that right now Adrian's hands on my body were actually making my skin crawl a little. I couldn't help the way I felt and this felt wrong. I hated Dimitri for the doubts he was putting in my mind. Everything was perfect last week and he had to get into my head and make me crazy. He'd always made me like this and I was getting really annoyed at the strange hold he had over me. A week ago being with Adrian like this had been nothing but pleasurable, now it made me feel dirty. My head spun with indecision and my time to decide was coming down to the wire as I felt Adrian unhooking the clasp on my bra.

"Wait," I cried, knowing I was going to regret it in the morning if I didn't at least take a day or two to sort out my feelings. So as much as it would raise Adrian's suspicions, I put my hands on his chest gently pushing him away.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know, I'm just upset and tired and not really in the mood. Can we just wait until tomorrow when I can be a full participant?" I asked trying to sound sincere.

He sighed and I could tell he was frustrated. "I guess I can wait one more day," he said reluctantly. "You are just so damn tempting."

"I know and I'm sorry. It really has been a very tiring day. I promise I'll make it up to you," I said not really knowing how I was going to do that.

"It's okay, I shouldn't be so insistent. I knew you were tired and I'm pushing you. Forgive me?" he apologized.

"There's nothing to forgive. You've been perfect," I stated.

"Do you want me to hold you?" he asked, turning down the bed sheets.

I nodded. "Yes, please."

I am so going to hell, I thought, as I lie awake unable to sleep. Adrian was snoring lightly beside me his arm draped over my waist. I held my hand up regarding my engagement ring. Last week it was the most beautiful thing in the world. This week it was like a lead weight trying to drown me in an ocean full of doubts that were threatening to eat me alive.

**I think she's beginning to crack don't you? Only problem is that Dimitri might have changed his mind about her. Do you think Adrian is going to begin to suspect something is wrong? Review or Tasha comes to New York=)**


	18. Chapter 18: Robot Rose

**Chapter 18: Robot Rose**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**Yay for Early Updates! Love me later with a review=)**

DPOV

When I told her I would leave if she asked me to, I meant it. I knew I was taking a huge gamble by offering to sign the papers and leave, but I also knew that I'd put just the right amount of doubt in her mind making her question her feelings for him and for me. Much to my delight calling her bluff worked. I had gotten her to at least admit to the possibility that she could see us together. For about five minutes I was flying high on the thought of finally winning her back and taking her home where she belonged, but it was short lived as was everything with her these days. My heart shattered all over again as she admitted that she didn't want a family.

I left the park quickly, not wanting to say or do something I'd come to regret. I just couldn't believe that after all of the work I'd done to get her back and all of the progress I'd made tonight , that it came down to the very thing I couldn't see myself compromising on. I would live wherever she wanted and put up with her crazy job and her nearly nude photos being spread for all to see, but I couldn't give up on the idea of having another child with her. It was the thing I wanted more than anything. I wanted us to be a family again. Those seven months we had with our son were the best I've spent my whole life and it wan't just because of him, it was her. She was the only women I'd ever want to raise my child.

She was choosing him because he wouldn't expect her to have a baby. I'd spent all of this time thinking he was the idiot in the situation, when it was really me. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it sooner. She was still so reticent to interact with Micah and she barely paid a lick of attention to Paul or Zoya either time we were at my mother's house. She was terrified that if we had another child, the outcome would be the same. How had I overlooked the one flaw in my plan?

I returned to the hotel with a heavy heart realizing it was after midnight and I shouldn't have left her there in the park alone. This was not Baia where we knew everyone. She could have been attacked or worse. I had been so preoccupied with my own issues that I'd stupidly left her to walk back to the street to hail a taxi unprotected. I took my phone out and sent her a quick text to see if she made it home okay. I prayed to God that luck would be on my side this night and she was safely in her apartment. An hour later, I lie awake unable to sleep knowing that she wasn't just in the next room like she had been all week. Hell I didn't even know if she'd made it to her apartment. I was about to climb out of bed and go out there and make sure she was home, when my phone beeped with a text.

~I'm home. You can go to sleep. It was a simple phrase, but it told me she still cared. She knew I'd be up half the night worrying about her. Even knowing she was home safe and sound, I tossed and turned all night until Lissa came knocking on my door in the morning.

"Tell me you're tired because you spent the night doing the nasty with Rose," she said smiling brightly.

I shook my head in negation. "Not even close," I muttered.

"What happened? I thought your plan was perfect. Was she mad?"

"She was a little mad. We had an argument and I left," I admitted.

"Oh Dimitri, you shouldn't have done that. She's finally starting to crack. What was it about?"

"She's with him because he won't expect her to give him a child," I said.

"What? She said that?"

I nodded. "She told me she doesn't want a family."

"That's crazy. You know she doesn't mean that," she said sitting down next to me placing her hand over mine.

"How do you know? She's been through so much and endured so much heartache and pain, I'm not sure it would be fair to ask her to put herself through that for me again if it isn't something she desires."

"Let me tell you a story about a little girl named Rosemarie," she said.

_**Flashback**_

"_**What's your baby doll's name?" Lissa asked as Rose lay her doll in the play cradle. **_

"_**Her name is Sophia Alisa Belikova," she announced smiling proudly down and her doll. **_

"_**Is she Dimitri's sister?" Lissa asked curious as to why Rose would give her baby Dimitri's family's last name.**_

"_**No silly, Dimitri and I are married and this is our baby." **_

"_**Eeew, Dimitri is a boy. Why do you like him so much? Boys are gross," Lissa said sticking out her tongue.**_

"_**Dimitri isn't gross. He's my best friend besides you. He's nice to me and shares his ice cream and lets me ride his bike and when I have an owie, he takes care of me. We're going to grow up and get married someday and live in a pretty house with lots of babies." **_

"_**Whatever you say Rose. I'm never getting married. Boys have cooties." **_

_**End Flashback**_

"As touching as that story is Lissa, that was a long time ago. You can hardly base her future decisions off of the musings of an eight year old."

"I don't know Dimitri, that little girl knew exactly what she wanted. I highly doubt she'd just change her mind about something so life altering."

"You didn't live the horror we did. She's different now. She may have been unhappy then, but if Alexandr had lived, we would have had a chance at true happiness. Now I don't know what she wants. She's so closed up and different. She's like a robot here trying to please everyone."

" I don't think even she knows what she wants. She's just scared. You have to make her see that things will be okay. She doesn't have to give up one life for the other. She can have the life she wants with you. There are many ways to compromise. Would you still want to be with her if she never came around to the idea of a baby?" she asked.

I inhaled sharply. I knew that a part of me would always hope for her to come around, but the other was telling me that being with her was the only thing that mattered. My brain and my heart warred with each other and in the end, I knew the answer was simple.

"I will never love anyone the way I love Roza."

"Well there's your answer. I'm not still not thoroughly convinced that she's sure of what she wants and I wouldn't give up on the idea of a family with her just yet. You have many years ahead of you to figure that out."

"I suppose you're right," I said hoping that what she'd said was true.

"Are you going to the shoot?" she asked.

I nodded. I needed to apologize for walking away from her last night and let her know that I still wanted her just the way she was baby or no baby. "I just need a few minutes to shave and shower." Half an hour later we were downstairs awaiting Rose's arrival. Much to my surprise instead of pulling up in the usual town car, she pulled into the front of the hotel in a sleek red sports car.

"Wow," Christian whistled. "Nice car!"

"Yes, it's awesome," Lissa exclaimed. "But I don't think we're all going to fit," she pointed out.

"That's why I brought a friend," she said pointing to the car that had pulled up behind her. A petite blond wearing the same sunglasses and scarf that adorned Rose sat behind the wheel of an equally as sporty yellow car.

"This is my friend Sydney Sage. She's going to work with me and she'll give some of you a ride.

"I want to ride with you," Lissa called.

"Me too," Vika agreed.

"I'm going with Lissa," Christian said hopping in beside her leaving me no other choice than the get into the car with her friend.

As we drove, I got the distinct feeling that this Sydney girl was the one Rose had been talking too while she was in Baia. She seemed suspicious and kept looking at me funny.

"So you're the hot Russian husband," she mused as we stopped at a traffic light.

"Dude, I thought that was supposed to be a secret," Ivan hissed.

"Not from me. Rose and I shared a small flat for many years before she moved in with Adrian. She's told me everything. Don't worry though. I'm not going to nark on her if that's what you're thinking."

"You and Rose must be very close. She's a very private person," I said, happy that she had at least one good friend to support her all these years.

"Yes, we are very close. She's doing quite a bit better now than she was when I first met her."

"How so?" I asked ever curious and hoping to get some insight into what Rose had gone through after she left me.

"Well for starters she sleeps through most nights. She used to wake up three or four times a night screaming in a cold sweat." Her revelation didn't surprise me. She had been like that in Baia those six weeks after we lost Alexandr.

"She cried out for you in her sleep you know," she added.

"She did?"

"She did for years. It took me a while to decipher her Russian mumbling, but your name was quite clear."

"Did she see anyone?"

"See?" she asked.

"A therapist," I clarified.

"She was very stubborn. I know she went to a doctor to get prescription refills, but I don't believe she was in therapy."

"Prescription refills?" I asked.

"You know us models, always with the Xanax and diet pills," she laughed.

"Why are you telling me all of this. I thought you would be out to hang me because of Adrian," I asked.

"I have my own reasons," she stated cryptically as we pulled into an underground parking garage.

"Okay here's how this is going to work. You need to wear these guest passes and sit over there in those chairs," a young women who looked like an intern told us as we entered a very large studio. "Coffee and donuts are over there and the restrooms are down that hallway," she pointed out. "Don't get in the way and try not to be too loud," she ordered before barking something into a headset and rushing away.

"Where the hell did you disappear to? I thought I was going to have to send a search party," a tall man dressed all in black wearing glasses with a large camera slung around his neck greeted Rose.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. I came back didn't I?"

"Touchy touchy, I see you've brought some guests," he said assessing us.

"Well don't you all look like you stepped off an episode of Little House on the Prairie," he said pinching Lissa's cheek. "You're just too cute," he said in his high falsetto voice leading me to believe that he was batting for the other team.

"Fun's over sweetie, you're needed in hair and make-up. What in the world have you been washing your hair with?" he asked picking up a strand of Rose's hair fingering it with a look of disgust on his face.

"Paolo, we need you stat!" he called grabbing Rose by the arm and handing her over to another man.

"She's going to need a lot of work, best get started now," he said clapping his hands.

We watched as he washed, conditioned blew dry, moosed, tugged, curled and sprayed every inch of her long locks until they were absolutely perfect. I myself thought it was a huge waste of time. She was absolutely stunning first thing in the morning, with no make-up and her untamed curls.

"What are they doing now?" Lissa asked as he leaned her head back in the chair and began applying something above her eyes.

"Holy shit! That looks painful," Christian cried as they ripped off parts of her eyebrows with what looked like some sort of wax.

"Just wait till we get to the bikini zone honey," Paolo said. "That isn't going to be pretty."

All together it took three hours of hair, waxing and make-up before Rose, Sydney and a very bouncy blonde called Mia were sent to wardrobe.

"Wow this is like watching reality television," Vika said as she watched everyone scramble around.

Finally Rose and Sydney exited the dressing room. Rose did not have a happy look on her face as she tugged at the tight skirt they had put on her. One of the women from wardrobe walked over to Javier and they began a very heated discussion.

"What do you mean it doesn't fit. We had her measured not ten days ago!" he cried."Let me see that," he said walking briskly over to where Rose was standing."What is going on here?" he asked as he pulled at the zipper on her skirt.

"I'm sorry, I don't know, maybe it was a mistake in sewing," one of the girls said clearly afraid of their employer.

"Or maybe, she gained weight. Look at this!" he cried lifting up Rose's shirt pinching her stomach with his fingers. It took all of my will power not to get up and put the man on his scrawny ass for touching her that way.

"What on Earth have you been eating? I told you cleanse! Nothing but broth! I cannot work in this kind of environment. Rose looked down at the floor, a look of shame on her face.

"I can make it bigger," the girl offered. "It will only take me a few minutes."

"Bigger is no help, the camera adds ten pounds, you might as well photograph Shamu!" he cried yanking the skirt off Rose shoving her roughly into the dressing room. It surprised me greatly that she allowed him to push her around like that. The Rose I knew would have shoved him right back telling him exactly where he could stick it.

"The next time I say cleanse, I mean it!" he roared. "Now we will be delayed two days with airbrushing," he shouted.

"I'm sorry, I was with my family and I got off track. It won't happen again," Rose apologized on the verge of tears, which was also unlike her.

"Sorry doesn't cut it! Look at this! Are those stretch marks?" he shouted grabbing her thigh. I clenched my fists and took a deep cleansing breath reminding myself that I was on her turf now and I had to behave myself.

"Dimka, are you just going to sit here and let him treat her like that?" Vika asked.

I shook my head. "If I interfere, it will only make her angrier," I said my blood boiling at the way he was berating her. She was skin and bones and even if she had gained a pound or two, she'd have to gain about twenty more before she'd even begin to look normal and healthy let alone as fat as he was insinuating she was. It was a wonder she was afraid to eat. After another fifteen minutes of him screaming at her, the skirt was ready and they began the shoot.

Seven long hours later, we were all starving as the shoot finally wrapped up.

I watched as Javier pulled Rose aside. I left the group creeping closer, pushing the curtain aside slightly so I could hear what he said.

"Five pounds by Friday Hathaway and I mean it or I'll give your job to Sage, understand," he menaced.

She nodded. "No problem. It'll be fine," she assured him. She exited through the curtains running smack into me.

She looked up at me and I could tell she was embarrassed that I'd overheard her being chewed out by her photographer.

"Are you okay?" I asked placing my hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine. I don't need to be coddled, Dimitri. I'm at work," she said quickly brushing the tears from her eyes as she pushed past me. I sighed knowing her walls were firmly in place and this was not the time to have a serious discussion so I followed her back over to where the rest were.

"Are you guys ready to leave?" she asked.

"Definitely, I'm starved," Christian whined.

"Me too. Can we go to dinner?" Lissa asked.

"Sure, I know of a place that is fast and you'd really like," she said grabbing her coat.

"Dimka, someone needs to put a stop to this. You can't let them continue to treat her like that. No wonder she's so damn skinny, that guy called her a whale," Vika said sticking out her tongue.

"He called her a what?" I roared.

"Didn't you hear it?" Ivan asked. "Dude , I was waiting for you to go postal. He said he might as well have been photographing Shamu."

"Shamu?" I asked in confusion.

"Gosh you're dense. You know the big black and white whale at SeaWorld," he pointed out.

"I'm going to murder him," I growled turning around to go and strangle the life out of that Javier guy. How dare he say that about her. She couldn't be more than 110 pounds and at five foot seven that was dangerously thin.

"Dude, calm down! Talk to her. She needs to be the one to make it stop. It's her life and she needs to stand up for herself," Ivan said being quite insightful.

"Yes, but why isn't she? If someone in Baia said that to her she'd have knocked them out cold and you'd be posting bail at the county prison," Vika said.

"She's different here. She isn't herself. Didn't you notice how she catered to everything her fiancé asked of her last night. She lets him run the show. That's not like her," I muttered.

"Yea, she sure never let you run the show. She had your balls in her pocket," Christian guffawed.

I ignored his comment knowing he was right. She ran the show when we were kids, while we were dating and after we were married, hell this past week she'd called all the shots and I'd let her because I loved her and if being in control made her happy then I was glad to take a step back and permit her to do so. This Rose Hathaway persona was not even close to the woman I'd known and loved my whole life. Someway, somehow I had to show her how stifled she'd become.

"You're taking them to Shake Shack," Sydney asked having accompanied us from the studio.

Rose shrugged. "They have good food and it's quick. They're hungry."

"This place is so cool," Lissa said as we approached a small shack in the middle of a cul- de- sac in the road. It was a dine out only place and the menu consisted mainly of hot dogs, hamburgers and other traditional American fare along with milk shakes and ice cream treats.

"You're not eating?" Lissa asked as Rose took a seat at one of the empty picnic tables pulling out her phone.

"No, I'm good. I had a big breakfast," she lied. I'm betting the only thing she'd eaten in the past twenty- four hours was that hot cocoa from last night.

"Get me a burger, fries and a chocolate shake," I told Vika as they stood in line. I wanted to get Rose alone for a few minutes and that meant getting rid of Sydney.

"Can I talk to you for a minute, alone," I said giving Sydney a look.

"No problem, I'll just be across the street at Starbucks. Want a skinny expresso?" she asked.

"Sure, thanks Syd," Rose replied looking nervous as her friend departed leaving us alone.

"Look, I know what you heard and I already know how this conversation goes so spare yourself the trouble," she snapped turning away from me.

"You don't know what I'm going to say," I informed her.

"Fine, shock me then," she said. "I'm all ears."

'I was just going to apologize for stranding you last night. I needed some time to think."

She shrugged. "Not a big deal. I knew it would make you upset."

I sighed. "Upset isn't the right word."

"Then what, pissed angry, furious…."

"Disappointed," I interjected, interrupted her list.

"I'm sorry if it wasn't what you wanted to hear, but I won't change my mind. Can you live with that?"

"I'm not sure. I still need time to process, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up." She looked slightly relieved that I wasn't giving up and I took that as a small victory for me.

She sighed laying her head on the table.

"Are you tired Milaya?" I asked rubbing slow soothing circles on her back. She nodded relaxing at my touch.

"You could come back to the hotel and rest with us," I suggested.

"Still trying to get me in bed?" she asked rolling her eyes.

"You know I'd be beyond thrilled to have you in my bed any time Milaya, but you are exhausted," I said pushing a stray strand of her hair back behind her ear.

"I should just go home and rest," she said.

"Aww come on Rose, come back with us. That way when you wake up you'll already be with us and we can all go out or something," Lissa said, winking at me in secret.

"Actually Adrian and I have his company Christmas party tonight," she said.

"Oh," Lissa said her face falling.

"You guys are more than welcome to come. Adrian is pretty much in charge of everything."

"Really we can come?" Lissa cried.

"Sure, why not? I've got to get home and shower and change and get ready. I can send a car for you all to meet us there if you want."

"Oh joy," Christian muttered and I'd have to admit that I felt the same.

"What's the dress code?" Vika asked.

"Well you probably shouldn't wear jeans or flannel," Rose said.

"If you walk two blocks that way, you'll find a Gap, the Armani Exchange and Akira," she said pointing across the street.

"I'll send the car at seven," she said as she Sydney returned with her coffee and the two of them took off in the direction of the parking garage.

RPOV

"You look like hell, what's the matter with you?" Sydney asked when we were finally alone.

"Ugh, week from hell," I groaned.

"Looks like, Javier was pissed. What the hell did you do while you were in Russia? You're not pregnant are you?" she asked.

"What? No of course not, you know Adrian doesn't want children," I said.

"Yea, but that doesn't mean you weren't over there making Russian babies," she smirked.

"Shut up Sydney. I told you, I didn't sleep with him!" I hissed.

"Not yet anyways. I see the way he looks at you and the way you are around him. It's only a matter of time. Why fight it?"

"Who's side are you on?"

"I'm on your side, but I remember how you were when I first met you. You missed him like crazy. How many times did you drunk dial him from payphones?"

"You promised you wouldn't bring that up again," I reminded her.

"Look Rose, you were really off today. I don't want to take your place. It's too much pressure. You'd better get your act together by Friday."

"I know, I know and I'm trying. Javier wants me to lose five pounds."

"That's insane. You don't look any different to me."

"I might have eaten some cookies, some bacon, a steak and hot chocolate," I confessed.

"What? That isn't like you. Why would you… Oh, it's because of him. He doesn't approve of your vegan diet."

I shook my head. "What does he like his women big or something?"

"No, it's just that I've never been the skinniest girl. I gained some weight after Alexandr was born."

"Well that's only natural," she defended me. "When I met you, you weren't big."

"I was stressed and on meds and drinking like a fish. Food wasn't really on my mind."

"He asked me if you saw a therapist."

"Who?"

"Your husband."

"He's not my husband," I corrected her.

"You're delusional. He hasn't signed the papers and if he doesn't, you're going to have to come clean with Adrian."

"I know I know, why did he want to know?"

She shrugged. "Not sure, he seemed worried about you."

"That's Dimitri for you always the worrywart," I muttered.

"What are you wearing tonight?"

"Uh no clue. Can I borrow something of yours?"

"Sure follow me home?"

After Sydney left I lay down on the bed utterly exhausted. I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew Adrian was shaking me awake.

"It's time to wake up princess," he whispered kissing my lips softly.

"Do I have to?" I groaned.

"It will look bad if my fiancé isn't on my arm," he said pulling me to my feet.

"How was the shoot? Did your friends enjoy it?"

"More or less. You know how Javier is."

"Did he give you a hard time?"

"No more than usual."

"I'm sorry. I know what will make you feel better," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"An early Christmas present."

"And what would that be?"

"Open it and find out," he said handing me an envelope.

"Plane tickets?" I asked.

"Look at them," he urged. "We're spending New Years in Paris," he cried excitedly.

My eyes widened as I was in fact holding two round trip tickets to Paris.

"We leave on the thirtieth."

"So we do," I said wondering how I would explain this to Dimitri. The bet said he had until January seventh to win me back or he'd sign the papers. If I suddenly took off to Paris with Adrian, he was sure to be angry and blow my secret out of the water.

"Aren't you excited?" he asked.

"Of course I am. This is fabulous. Thank you," I said wrapping my arms around him tightly all the while trying to figure a way out of it.

**Uh oh! Will she go to Paris with Adrian or will her heart find her way back to Dimitri. What will he say if he finds out she's leaving? What's going on at home with Mason and Abe? So many people want her to be with Adrian. I think we should put it to a vote. I'm not saying that either side will sway me to make a different ending than the one I have planned, but I might take your opinions into consideration. Here's the deal. You review and then tell me who you want and why they are better for Rose=) **


	19. Chapter 19: The New Deal

Chapter 19: The New Deal

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy

APOV

"Baba we're here," my son called. I could hear as he and Jill entered the back door.

"In the study," I shouted.

"What are you doing in here? I thought Aunt Oksana was making dinner?" he asked probably having noticed that nothing was cooking in the kitchen.

"We'll order out. I had some business to tend to," I told him closing my laptop.

"What business?" he asked raising his eyebrow at me curiously. It had been a long time since I'd had the urge to do anything business related. I'd retired six years ago after my stroke.

"Christmas gifts of course," I said wheeling myself to the door.

"Baba, were you online shopping again?" Jill tisked, helping my grandson out of his coat.

"I was actually and I think you're going to enjoy the gift I have planned for you this year."  
"What is it?" I asked.

"How would you all feel about a trip to surprise your sister in New York?" I asked.

"A trip to New York?" Jill asked, her eyes wide.

"Why not? Neither of you have work until after the new year. It's the perfect time to get out of this frigid temperature."

"So we're just going to show up and surprise Rose?" Mason asked scratching his head.

"That's the idea."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea. She's going to be pretty pissed about it."

"Well someone has to knock some sense into her. I want to meet this fiancé of hers. From what I've read about him, I'm not sure I want him marrying my daughter, besides someone has to help Belikov out. By now I figure he's drowning and could use a little rescue."

"I have always wanted to see the city," Jill said warming to the idea quickly which I had been counting on.

"Good, then it's settled. We leave on the twenty-first." I was done watching my daughter destroy her life from afar. I'd already watched it go up in flames the first time and I'd be damned if I didn't do everything in my power to help her make the right choice.

RPOV

"I hope it's okay that I invited my friends. It's just that they came such a long way and I didn't want to just ditch out on them tonight," I said hoping he would be understanding.

"That's fine, the more the merrier, besides I do want to get to know them better and we didn't have a lot of time last night. I want you to be happy and if spending time with your friends is important to you, then it's important to me," he said kissing my forehead gently.

"Thank you for being so understanding. I don't know what I did to deserve such a wonderful man," I said kissing his cheek. I knew that I didn't deserve him and that if he found out about the web of lies I was currently sitting on, he would be quick to agree.

"Mmm I love the smell of that perfume on you," he said nuzzling my neck as we rode down in the elevator.

"It's an old favorite," I said smiling as I remembered how much Dimitri loved the smell of lilies.

We arrived at the party just as the first guests were arriving. I knew tonight was a big deal to Adrian and I wanted to be supportive. He was waiting on a few deals from major investors and I knew tonight could be the opportunity he was looking for to sway them towards a mutual beneficial decision.

"Well aren't you lovely as always?" Nathan Ivashkov greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. "I always knew my son inherited my good taste in women," he said as Adrian's mother Daniela joined him.

"I am so happy my son has finally decided to take a bride and I can't think of one lovelier than you. Congratulations to you both," she said smiling as she kissed Adrian and fawned over my ring. I'd forgotten that we hadn't been seen together since the news of our engagement was splashed all over the society pages and that tonight would be full of people wishing us well.

I noticed immediately when my friends arrived as Lissa was too excited to contain herself. She waved at me frantically from across the room and I had to smile at how such a little thing made her so happy.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," I told Adrian excusing myself. It was exhausting standing next to him with a big smile plastered on my face nodding and laughing at the jokes his clients cracked in order for him to snag their accounts and I was more than glad for the interruption.

As I crossed the room my eyes settled on Dimitri and my breath caught in my throat. He was by far the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen and my heart nearly stopped beating as his eyes lit up upon seeing me.

"Don't you all look dashing," I said trying to swallow the bubble of excitement that seeing him all dressed up caused. He was more handsome than ever in his black slacks and red button down shirt.

"Are you wearing a tie?" I asked running my hand over the silky material in awe. I don't think I'd ever seen him wear a button down shirt, let alone a tie, except for our wedding day that is.

"I am," he responded obviously amused by the expression on my face.

"You look beautiful as always," he said bending down to kiss my cheek. Ivan and Christian did the same, but the spot where Dimitri's lips had rested upon my skin burned with electricity causing my face to flush crimson.

"Can I get you a drink?" he asked noticing that I didn't have one?

"Sure, I'll have a…"

"Grey Goose Martini, dirty," he told the bartender. "I still remember what you like Milaya," he whispered causing my insides to quiver as his lips brushed my ear.

Holy shit, I need to calm down, I thought plucking the olive out of the martini and tossing it back in two quick gulps, quickly ordering another.

"Be careful, you shouldn't drink too much on an empty stomach," Dimitri warned giving me a pointed look.

"I'll be just fine thank you," I snapped, grabbing my drink.

"There you are. I've been looking for you. Takeshi Yamamoto is over there and I need you with me to close the deal. You don't mind if I steal my fiancée away for a bit do you?" Adrian said steering me away from my friends.

I was on my third martini while Adrian was talking business with Mr. Yakamota or whoever he was and I was getting more than a little bored.

"Do you mind if I excuse myself to the ladies room?" I asked pleasantly.

"Of course not. I'm sure you're tired of all this business talk. It was lovely to see you again Miss Hathaway," Yakamota said as I bowed out gracefully. I swayed slightly as I headed for the ladies room realizing that Dimitri had been right about not overdoing it on the booze. I was definitely feeling that third drink. I leaned heavily against the sink looking at myself in the mirror. The reflection staring back at me was not a pretty one. Underneath the layers of heavy make-up, I could vaguely see the dark circles that appeared beneath my eyes and my complexion was sallow and my cheeks sunken in. I needed sleep in the worst way.

"I thought I might find you in here," Dimitri's voice startled me.

"Uh, last I checked this was the ladies room," I said glancing around to make sure no one was in here.

"Don't worry, I've taken care of that for the time being," he said locking the door.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I finally have you alone," he said coming closer placing his arms around my waist, pulling back my hair to kiss my neck. "You smell so good," he murmured his teeth grazing my skin lightly as he skimmed his nose along the side of my face.

"Ugh, why are you doing this to me?" I moaned. The feeling of his hands on my body was divine and I wanted so badly to give in just once and make love to him right here, but I knew I couldn't. I had to be strong and fight it. I couldn't put my heart out there again with him and have disaster strike us once more. I couldn't live through it a second time. Adrian was my safer option. Being with Dimitri brought up memories that I did not want to relive. This past week had proved just how emotionally unstable I would be if I went back to Baia.

"All you have to do is ask me and I will stop," he whispered turning me around to face him. He knew damn well I couldn't bring myself to tell him to stop. He brought his lips to mine possessing them with vigor. I melted into his arms like a snowman in July, thoroughly enjoying as his tongue invaded my mouth deepening our kiss to the point where I thought I'd pass out from lack of oxygen. He finally pulled away leaving me gasping for air.

"Enjoy the rest of your evening Roza," he said before exiting the room.

What the hell was that all about? I wondered more confused than ever. I straightened my dress, fixed my hair and reapplied my lipstick, trying to make myself appear decent.

"Now now, where are you going looking like you just got fucked in the ladies room?" Sydney asked.

"What?" I said trying to play it off as I glanced around frantically to make sure no one was eavesdropping.

"Don't worry. I'm the only one who saw your lover come out of there a few minutes ago. It was clever to put the out of order sign up. I saw him follow you in."

"Do you get some sort of pleasure from tormenting me about it?" I asked.

"Of course not, I'm your friend and I want to see you make the right choice," she said.

"How do you know what the right choice is if I don't?"

"Silly girl, you already know. I just don't know why you are fighting it."

"Just stay out of my business," I snapped. I didn't want to be rude to her, but she was really beginning to get on my nerves.

I introduced my friends to Mia and Eddie and they struck up a conversation. It made me happy that both parts of my life were getting along so well. The evening wore on and Adrian had a happy look on his face after finishing his talks with Yakamota so I assumed they had come to an understanding, which pleased me. He was no fun when he was working hard. If this deal went well then he would be free to spend more time with me and my friends this week.

DPOV

I could tell that the little stunt I'd pulled in the ladies room had flustered her. She was distracted for the rest of the evening and I watched as she made polite conversation with some friends and then introduced us to a young couple.

"I think someone's had too much to drink," Adrian said joining us. He took her half-full martini glass out of her hand and I waited for her to explode.

"You're probably right," she said smiling at him as he finished her drink.

"Unbelievable," I muttered tossing back the rest of my own drink.

"Yea, she would have ripped you a new one if you touched her drink," Ivan snorted.

I didn't understand her behavior. It wasn't like her to let someone else control her like that yet I watched as she obeyed his every request without flinching. I knew it wasn't healthy to fight about every little thing, but to allow someone to domineer your life like that wasn't right either.

"So what's on the agenda for tomorrow?" Adrian asked.

"I definitely want to see the Empire State Building," Lissa said. "Or maybe we could go to see the Statue of Liberty."

"I'm actually going to be pretty busy signing contracts and doing business tomorrow. Why don't you take them to Liberty Island?" Adrian suggested.

"I actually have a few things to take care of tomorrow, maybe we can go on Saturday before the benefit," Rose suggested.

"You guys can do the Empire State Building in the morning and I can meet up with you later on to shop for Saturday evening if that's okay." I was disappointed that she wouldn't be accompanying us in the morning, but I had a plan.

"Why don't you guys go ahead without me," I said Friday morning as we met downstairs to leave for the Empire State Building.

"You're not coming?" Vika asked.

I shook my head. "I have some things to do." What I really meant was that Adrian was out of the picture all day and this was my chance to spend some alone time with Rose. It was early and I decided to stop at a bakery to get her some of her favorite pastries and a cup of steaming hot peppermint cocoa.

"Who are you here to see?" the man that stood at the desk in the lobby asked as I made my way through the front doors.

"Rose Hathaway."

"Your name?"

"Dimitri Belikov."

"You're not on the list of approved guests. I'll have to call upstairs," he said reaching for the phone.

"Miss Hathaway, you have a guest by the name of Dimitri Belikov. Would you like me to send him up?"

He nodded a few times and then hung up.

"Go on up. When you get in the elevator, hit penthouse."

"Of course she would live in the penthouse," I muttered. I was beginning to wonder why I expected her to give me a chance when I clearly had very little to offer her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked opening the door a crack, not allowing me further than the hallway.

"I came to spend time with you," I told her. "I brought breakfast." I wondered if she was hesitant to let me in because Adrian was still home.

"I told you I have things to do today. I'll see you later," she said trying to close the door.

"Just let me in for a minute and then I will go," I promised. "You know I won't take no for an answer Roza."She sighed opening the door wider allowing me to pass.

I surveyed the inside of the apartment in awe. It occupied the entire top floor giving a breathtaking panoramic view of the city through crystal clear glass windows. The kitchen was furnished with stone walls and stainless steel appliances. Crystal chandeliers hung over a large glass table adorned with fresh flowers. The counter tops were marble and the floors a deep mahogany bamboo. The living room was spacious with a leather sectional, fancy area rug and a large flat screen television hung over a beautiful stone fireplace. It made the house we shared in Baia look like a closet furnished with things from a discount warehouse. What surprised me was how little the décor reflected the people who lived there. There was one photograph of the two of them at what looked like some sort of business event for his work and that was all. There were a few paintings and some sculptures, but otherwise nothing personal.

My eyes finally rested on her and I was alarmed at her state of being.

"What's the matter? Are you ill?" I asked taking in her dark circles, mussed hair and the fact that she was in her bathrobe at ten in the morning.

"I'm fine and I have things to do so can you please just go?" she asked.

"If you have errands to run, I'd be more than happy to accompany you," I suggested.

"Please, just go," she pleaded her voice taking a desperate edge.

"Is he still here?" I asked looking around for evidence that he was lurking somewhere in the apartment.

"No, he's been gone for hours."

"Then what is it that is making you so desperate for me to leave?" I asked placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I just want to be alone," she insisted shaking my hand off her shoulder.

"You don't look well. Are you ill from last night?" I asked placing my hand on her cheek, which was rouged, but ice cold.

"You're right. I'm a little hung over okay. Is that what you wanted to hear? Now please can you just go," she cried clutching her side as if she was in pain.

"Are you sure you're okay? I can make you some soup if you want," I offered.

"Ugh no," she groaned. Her face was ghostly pale and I was worried that something was terribly wrong.

"Dimitri can't you just trust me when I say I am fine and just go. I'll see you later," she said pushing me towards the door.

"I'm not going until I know you are okay," I insisted.  
"Why are you always so damn stubborn? I'm going to get dressed," she announced turning towards what I assumed was the bedroom. Halfway there she stopped, doubling over in pain clutching her stomach.

"Roza," I question rushing to her side.

"I said leave me alone," she cried fleeing into the bedroom slamming the door behind her.

"Roza, what is it? Let me in," I called pounding on the door.

"Go away," she called, her voice strangled.

Something was wrong and I wasn't leaving until I figured out what it was. I paced the kitchen floor back and forth waiting for her to emerge. Finally, after twenty minutes, I decided to sit down at the breakfast nook. I was tapping my fingers idly on the counter when a box caught my eye. I picked it up reading it closely.

"Damn it," I cursed slamming the box down on the counter. I rifled through the kitchen drawers looking for a screwdriver only to come up empty handed. I was about to give up and break down the door with my bare hands when my fingers closed around an ice pick. I jimmied the lock on the bedroom door forcing my way inside.

The door to the bathroom was cracked open. "Roza," I called pushing open the doors.

"Oh my God, Roza," I cried, finding her slumped on the floor barely able to lift her head she was so weak. Her lips were chapped, her skin ashen and she was shaking with chills.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked holding her close to my body as I huddled on the floor with her. I pulled out my phone ready to dial for an ambulance.

"No, please," she begged tears leaking out of her eyes. "The press will be all over it."

"Roza, you're sick. You need a doctor. Please let me take you somewhere," I pleaded. I was worried about her heart. Her lack of nutrients and her alcohol consumption last night along with the diet pills and cleanse she had taken this morning were enough to kill her.

"I'm fine," she insisted, pushing on my chest in a feeble attempt to stand up.

"You are not fine. You're a skeleton. Why would you take those pills?" I asked demanding an answer.

"You heard Javier, I'm a whale," she sobbed.

I took a deep breath, trying hard to keep my cool. I couldn't understand how her perception could be so skewed. She had not an ounce of fat on her and couldn't weigh more than one hundred pounds, which was dangerous for a woman of her height.

"You are not a whale. You are sick Roza and you need help."

"What would you know? You liked it when I was fat. You just want to keep me that way so I'll come back to Baia with you," she said this time gathering enough strength to get to her feet.

"That isn't true. You were never fat and even if you were, you're right, I would love you anyway. You don't have to be perfect for me to love you. All you have to do is be yourself. Can't you understand that being here with him is killing you?" I shouted trying to get her to see reason. Again, I couldn't understand how he was unaware of her eating disorder if he loved her the way she said he did.

"I can't watch you destroy your life Roza. I need to get you the help you need," I said determined to find a way to get her to a hospital without calling the attention of the press.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm calling a hospital," I said.

"No, please. You're right. I promise I will eat the breakfast you brought. Please don't call anyone," she implored placing her hand over mine, stopping me from making the call.

I sighed hanging up the phone. "Okay, but you have to promise, no more diet pills, no more cleanses, no more vegan diet. You will eat three healthy meals a day and keep them down. If you don't I will have no choice, but to have you declared mentally unfit to make your own decisions," I threatened, fully intending to go through with it if I had to.

"You can't do that. Only family can."

"Last time I checked, a spouse is allowed to make decisions regarding healthcare and even if I couldn't, Abe would be on my side and you know it."

"Okay, I get it. You've got me. I'll be better. I promise," she said.

"First, you need water," I said pouring her a large glass. I sighed as I watched her eat the croissants I brought along with the hot chocolate wondering if I made the right decision. She was getting worse and I couldn't stand by and watch her kill herself.

"I want you to see someone," I told her.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "You promised me no hospital," she said her nails digging into the skin on my arm, her eyes wide with fear.

"I promised no hospital if you cooperate and try to get better," I said.

"I ate. You saw," she said in confusion.

"Food isn't your issue Roza and deep down you know that," I said stroking her hair softly.

"I can't talk about that with anyone, it's too painful," she whispered. "You know that."

"I know it hurts, but keeping it inside all this time is killing you."

"You're going to tell Adrian about us if I don't do this aren't you?" she asked seeming to catch on that I was dead serious about her getting help.

"I don't want to do that, but yes, I will tell him everything if it means you get the help you need," I said.

"Would you go with me?" she asked taking my threats better than I expected.

"You know I will," I said letting her lay her head on my shoulder.

"I'm so tired," she moaned.

"I know you are. Why don't you come back to the hotel with me and you can rest."

"I can rest here," she said.

"You know I can't leave you alone," I reminded her.

"You don't trust me?" she huffed in offense.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I love you and I promised no hospital if you do as I say."

"Fine, I need a shower and to change."

"I'll be right here," I said taking a seat on the closed toilet.

"You're seriously going to sit there while I shower?"

I shrugged. "I can't have you purging while I'm in the other room."

"You disgust me," she said dropping her robe and nightgown. My eyes widened and a gasp escaped my lips as she turned towards me giving me an eyeful of her naked body.

"See something you like Comrade?" she asked in a teasing manor. In truth, her body was so emaciated that it was practically grotesque, but I covered my true feelings and nodded as she pulled back the curtain blocking my view.

**So Rose is falling apart, Dimitri is going with her to therapy, Adrian is still in the dark, and Abe and Mason are coming to New York. Did Dimitri do the right thing by not taking her to the hospital? What is her eating disorder really about? What's up with Sydney? Reviews are appreciated as always. **


	20. Chapter 20: Ghost

**Chapter 20: Ghost**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

RPOV

It was a blessing and a curse being married to someone like Dimitri. On one hand he was always there for me when I needed him, but on the other, he was always there up in my business making a nuisance of himself. On some level, I knew he was right and I did feel sick, but on the other hand, what I saw when I looked n the mirror was not a pretty sight. I saw stretch marks, cellulite, legs that were too short and thighs that were too fat. My arms had flab, my butt was huge and I was beginning to get a jelly roll around my waist from all the food I'd been indulging in because of him. He couldn't possibly understand the pressures I went through every day just to look halfway decent and keep my job. After my shower, he was still sitting there waiting for me.

"Could I have a little privacy to get dressed?" I muttered. "We may be married, but that doesn't give you the right to ogle me anytime you want."

"First I want you to do something for me," he replied.

"You really are a pig," I snorted wondering what kind of dirty thing he was going to ask me to do, not that it would be unpleasant, but we were technically in the house that I shared with my fiance and that would be entirely disrespectful.

He rolled his eyes at me. "That can wait until we get to my hotel room, but right now I want you to get on the scale."

"What? Oh my God, no that's embarrassing," I cried. I did not want him to know how much I weighed. It would be humiliating.

"Answer me this. How much do you think you weigh?" he asked. I dropped the towel and surveyed my reflection in the foggy mirror.

"I don't know, 140 pound," I guessed.

He shook his head in negation. "Well then how much would you guess?" I asked.

"One-hundred pounds," he stated firmly causing me to laugh at his obvious joke.

"You've got to be kidding me. I haven't weighed a hundred pounds since I was twelve. You know that."

"Get on the scale," he ordered.

"You first," I said trying to buy myself some time.

"Fine," he said stepping up onto it. I watched as the line went past the hundred and the two hundred mark.

"Two hundred and twelve," he stated. I knew he was six foot seven and muscular, but wow, that was a lot of muscle.

"Your turn," he said stepping off.

I sighed prepared to shove it in his face when the scale read a lot higher than he had guessed. I mean come on, if I weighted only one-hundred pounds, I'd be in the hospital.

I watched as the line hovered just above the one-hundred mark.

"No, that can't be right. There's something wrong with the scale," I said looking up at him is dismay.

"No, Roza, there isn't. You're dangerously thin and in need of medical care. I'm not sure why you can't see it, but it's the truth," he said his eyes fearful. I began to shake as I stepped off the scale. He was right, there had to be something wrong with me. If the scale was right then why couldn't I see it?

"Why don't you get dressed and pack a bag and you can stay with us at the hotel tonight," he suggested.

"What will I tell Adrian?" I asked. He was bound to get suspicious if I suddenly didn't come home.

"Tell him that you miss Lissa and Vika and you're having a girls night and you'll probably crash in their hotel room," he suggested. I take it he had been preparing that lie for a while.

"I lie to him about everything else. What's one more?" I grumbled throwing some things into a bag.

"Why are we stopping here?" I asked as he pulled me into a Walgreens.

"This is a pharmacy right?" he asked.

"Well yeah, why?" He grabbed a cart and began tossing things into it.

"What is all this?" I asked picking up one of the bottles.

"Vitamins, electrolytes, protein shakes, fiber supplements, bottled water," he rattled off tossing a few other things into the cart.

"Where are we going now?" I asked.

"Grocery store," he replied. I tugged at the hood on my sweatshirt and pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes hoping no one recognized me. All I needed was for someone to spot us together and I was done for. It would be all over the internet, the news and the radio and my life would be fucked. As it is my career was going to go down the tubes if I allowed him to feed me until I gained weight.

He bought juice, bread, peanut butter, whole milk and a rotisserie chicken that came with baked potatoes and rice.

"You really think I should eat all of that at once?" I asked as he spread out our purchases on the table in his suite. The gang was still gone at the Empire State Building excursion. I could tell exactly where they were based on Lissa's Facebook updates.

"No, the chicken is for now. The peanut butter and bread is for later.

"This is ridiculous," I complained as he placed generous helpings on both of our plates, pouring me a tall glass of milk.

"It isn't, now eat up," he insisted.

I sighed pushing the food on my plate around as I watched him eat his portion and finish his own milk.

"Roza, I can't force you to eat, but I can take you to a hospital," he threatened.

"I'm just not hungry," I said shaking my head.

"You don't feel hunger pangs?" he asked seeming surprised. I shrugged.

"Not anymore. I used to a lot, but not for a while now."

"That's not good," he muttered running his hand through his hair in obvious frustration.

"You ate that pumpkin pie at Mama's and drank the hot chocolate," he pointed out.

"Sure, those were sweets. This is chicken," I said wrinkling my nose in disgust.

"You like Chicken or you used to," he pointed out.

"It smells like dead animal," I protested.

"Okay, how about we compromise," he said.

"How?" I asked wondering what he had in mind.

"I will order a pepperoni pizza and breadsticks, but you have to drink the milk and take the vitamins."

My ears perked up at the sound of pepperoni pizza.

"Okay," I said eagerly pushing the plate of chicken away from me.

I couldn't help myself and ended up wolfing down three large slices of pizza and two breadsticks immediately regretting it, feeling the urge to vomit.

"What's the matter? Wasn't it good?" he asked with concern.

"I don't feel good," I moaned clutching my stomach. My eyes darted to the bathroom door and back to him. I could make it if I ran, but I had a better chance if I acted casual.

"Do you have any Rolaids?" I asked.

"I think so," he responded turning his attention to the bag of things he'd laid on the counter. As soon as his back was turned, I bolted from my seat making a beeline for the toilets. My hand had just closed around the doorknob, when I felt his arms around me.

"Let me go," I cried struggling against his brute strength even though I knew my efforts were futile.

"Roza, please you have to stop this. It hurts me to see you like this," he said holding me in a deadlock against his body. "Just calm down and take a deep breath," he instructed.

"No, please you don't understand. I feel sick. I have to get rid of it," I cried.

"I know you probably don't feel well, but you have to keep it down Roza or you're just going to become sicker. I need you to try for me. If not for me then for Abe and Mason and Lissa and for Adrian. You have to get well."

I took a deep cleansing breath and relaxed into his arms.

"Now if you come with me, I will get you the Rolaids to settle your stomach and I'll rub your shoulders until you feel better," he said loosening his grip on me slightly.

"Can I trust you?" he asked looking deep into my eyes.

"Yes," I whispered biting my lip.

"Okay then," he said dropping his arms, holding out his hand for me. I hesitated, but placed my hand in his following him back to the kitchen.

"Drink this," he instructed holding out a glass of water with the tablets. I decided against arguing because deep down I wanted to get better and secretly I wanted to get better for him.

APOV

"I did a little digging on that fiancé of yours," Ralph, the private investigator I'd hired to check our Rose's background said entering my office. I'd been sitting here for hours with mountains of paperwork and was happy for the interruption. I only hoped he hadn't found anything.

"What did you find?" I asked wondering if I really wanted to know.

"That's the thing. I found squat under the name Rose Hathaway," he said.

"So she'd clean," I said sighing in relief.

"No, I mean I didn't find anything. Zip, nada zilch. Rose Hathaway doesn't exist, or at least she didn't until two-thousand five."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well I found all of her modeling agency records, her runways shows and the designers she promotes and the records for the apartment she shared with Sydney Sage, but that's it. No information about where she grew up, where she went to school, who her parents were, nothing. The girl's a ghost."

"So maybe that's just the name she uses for modeling. She had a falling out with her family before she moved here from Russia. She probably changed her name so she wasn't associated with them," I reasoned.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," he said, tossing a thick file onto my desk.

"What's this?" I asked.

"It's everything I could dig up on Rosemarie Mazur," he said.

"Who's Rosemarie Mazur?" I asked confused.

"Good question. I don't think you really know anything about the women you're going to marry. If I were you I'd look through that file very carefully before you walk down that aisle."

I sat dumbfounded at my desk wondering if I should open the folder. On one hand, I thought I knew everything I needed to know about Rose. She was loving and kind. She was beautiful and smart. We got along well and rarely fought about anything. Up until last week, our lives were blissfully happy and I wouldn't have even thought twice about throwing this folder in the trash, but the lies she had told me about going to Russia and then she brings back her friends were not something I could easily ignore. Something wasn't right between us, I could feel it, but did I really want to shatter the nearly perfect bubble we were living in? Did I want to distrust her or should I give her the benefit of the doubt and ask her about it. I was torn with indecision when my phone rang.

"Ivashkov," I answered.

"Hey babe," Rose's voice came over the line. Hearing her voice reassured me that I should wait until I got home and ask her about it.

"How's your day been?" I asked.

"It's been good."

"You sound tired," I mused.

"I know, but I'm just having such a good time with my friends."

"I miss you. I can't wait to see you tonight," I told her hoping we would finally connect physically after all of our time apart.

"I know, I miss you too, but that's what I was calling about. Vika and Lissa and I are going to have the personal shoppers come to the hotel and then we were going to have a girl's night. Would you mind terribly if I spent the night with them?" she asked in a sugary sweet tone.

"Tonight? I feel like I've hardly seen you at all since you got back. I thought we could have a romantic dinner and finish up with dessert," I said in a suggestive voice.

"I know babe and I'm sorry, maybe we can save that for the weekend," she said not giving me much of a choice.

"Rose, I'm really getting tired of not seeing you," I said letting her know that I was not happy right now.

"I know and I promise, this is the last time," she said.

"You've been using the word promise a lot lately," I said referring to explanation of why she lied to me about Russia, which I still wasn't satisfied she was telling me the whole truth about.

"Please don't be mad," she pleaded.

"I'm not mad," I lied. "Look Rose, I have a client waiting, I'll see you tomorrow," I said trying my best not to blow my top. If she wasn't going to tell me why she was acting so shady, then I guess she left me no choice, but to figure it out for myself, I thought mustering the courage to open the folder in front of me.

ABEPOV

"This is New York City?" Jill asked as we exited the terminal into LaGuardia airport.

"Not exactly," I told her. "Rose lives in Manhattan," I said glancing down at the paper in my hand. It was amazing how much information was readily available about her on the internet. It was sad that I was her father and the things written about her in magazines and the internet and television interviews were the only things I knew about my daughter these days. Most of that information was fiction anyways. She had lied about her name, her nationality, her family and who knows what else.

"So we're just going to show up at her apartment and ring the bell?" Mason asked as he loaded our bags into the back of a yellow taxi.

"I'd say not. First, we should go to the hotel and meet up with the others," I said. I was curious as to how Belikov was faring so far. I was rooting for him. Although he had gotten my teenage daughter pregnant and I had been none too happy with him back then, he had turned out to be a very good man. He loved her more than anything and would be the one to help her regain her trust in the world. She was so lost right now and this fiancé of hers, this Adrian, was not right for her. He was everything she used to despise. He was a rich, arrogant, self-absorbed elitist with a strong sense of entitlement. He'd never had to work for a thing in his life. I had raised her better than that. I had money, but I'd never spoiled her. She had everything she needed, but back then she was easy to please. Looking back on things, I could have done better with helping Belikov find a house for them, but he was insistent that he was going to take care of his family, the way any real man would and so we decided on a house that he would be able to make the payments on. I knew she hated it, but a house doesn't make a home. A house is just brick and stone. It's the people who live there that make it a home. She used to know that and for a short time, that little house was full of love and joy. The girl I saw in those ads and the girl that I'd seen in Baia this past week was not my daughter. She needed a serious wake-up call before she threw her life away completely on the wrong man, the wrong career and the wrong town.

RPOV

"He's not happy with me," I said tossing my cell on the table.

"Rose, why are you marrying him?" Lissa asked. She and the rest had returned a few minutes ago and we were currently waiting for my personal shoppers to bring over the choices for tomorrow's banquet. The guys had dug into the leftover pizza and were watching some silly football game on television in the other room. I was surprised Dimitri trusted me enough to leave me with Lissa and Vika.

"What do you mean why?"

"Do you love him?" she asked.

"What kind of question is that? Of course I love him. He's my fiancé for God's sake."

"Yes, but are you in love with him?"

"What's the difference?" I asked knowing full well what the difference was. The difference between loving someone and being in love with someone was huge and as much as I hated to admit it to myself, as much as I loved Adrian, I wasn't in love with him. In truth, I couldn't be. Something I hated to admit even more was that I had never stopped being in love with Dimitri. All these years I tried to deny it and stifled those feelings by keeping myself distracted with superficial things like a career and parties and fashion, none of which I really cared about, but at night when I slept, he was always with me. Sydney was right when she said I cried out for him for two years. I still dreamt of him often.

"Oh come on Roza, you either feel it or you don't. Remember when I dated Roland? Oh he was awful. I thought I loved him, but I can see now that I was just lonely and wanted a boyfriend. With Nikolai, it's so different. I miss him so much right now. He's so good to me and so sweet and I can't imagine my life without him. He's the only person I ever want to be with. He knows me inside and out even my deepest secrets and fears. He's my best friend and I can talk to him about anything. Do you have that with Adrian? It doesn't seem like it. He doesn't even know you."

"That isn't true," I argued. "He just knows the new me, not the old me."

"Would he still love you and want to marry you if he knew the old you?" she asked raising her eyebrow at me.

"I don't know," I responded.

"Well you'd better figure it out. My brother loves you unconditionally. He knows the old you and the new you and he's still head over heels. You're all he thinks about. You're his life Roza. I'm afraid of what will happen if he goes home without you. He'll be devastated. What are you so afraid of with him?" she asked narrowing her eyes at me.

"I'm not afraid," I argued.

"Oh yes you are. One minute you're an open book and I see the two of you falling back into your old comfortable relationship, but the next minute you freeze up like the ice queen again and refuse to acknowledge what you really feel."

A knock on the door saved me from the inquisition.

"Rose it's so good to see you again and who are your friends?" Tatiana asked fake kissing me on both cheeks. She had been my personal shopper for three years. She was kind of a snotty bitch, but she was the absolute best at getting what she wanted and it was to my benefit to keep her at my beck and call.

"Tatiana, these are my friends Viktoria and Lissa. We all need evening gowns to go to a benefit tomorrow night."

"Okay then, are we doing the traditional black for you?" she asked.

"Uh yea, I guess, I said absentmindedly, not really caring what I wore. If Tatiana okayed it, then it was fine by me.

"Oh no Roza, I think you should wear red," Viktoria said with a gleam in her eye.

"And why is that?" I asked.

"Because it's Dimka's favorite color," she whispered in Russian, winking, causing me to flush.

"Black will be just fine," I said giving her a glare.

"How about for you?" she asked Lissa.

"That's easy. Lissa wants pink," I said with a grin.

"How do you know my favorite color hasn't changed?" she asked crossing her arms.

"Okay then, what color?" I asked.

She thought or pretended to think for a minute.

"I still love pink," she admitted sheepishly.

"Uh huh, that's what I thought," I said with a smirk.

"Okay and for you?" Tatiana asked, turning to Viktoria.

"I've always liked gold. If I'm going to a gala, I might as well go all out," she said.

"At a girl," I told her as Tatiana began taking their measurements.

"You're next," she said turning to me.

"You already have my measurements since the last time, "I told her.

"Let me just make sure," she insisted.

"Fine whatever," I said allowing her to use her tape measure on me.

"Just as I thought," she muttered.

"What? I gained weight?" I asked with a scowl.

"No, you went down two sizes," she said motioning for her assistant Ambrose to bring in the dresses.

"Two sizes," Lissa gasped. "Rose are you sick? What's wrong? I knew you looked skinny, but are you dying? Do you have cancer?" she squeaked getting really hyper and worked up.

"No, gosh Liss calm down. I'm fine," I told her. Viktoria just gave me a look and I knew that she talked to Dimitri. I couldn't believe he'd share my secrets with his sister. That just proved that he didn't have my best interest in mind. Three hours later Lissa and Vika had their dresses and were having them tailored.

"I'm afraid all of these gowns are too big," Tatiana said.

"What is that supposed to mean. Tailor one of them to fit me," I said.

"The ones I have in black cannot be made to fit someone as tiny as you. There's too much material and too much work if you want it tomorrow.

"Well then you pick one. I don't care what color it is," I snapped, a little annoyed with her.

"This one," she said pulling a blood red dress off the rack.

"Of course it would be red, "I muttered.

"Whatever, just tailor it," I said not wanting to spend any more time on this. I was exhausted and still nauseous from lunch. It was nearly six o'clock and I needed a nap. Tatiana left to make the final alterations to our dresses and the boys finished up with their tuxedo measurements pretty quickly.

"Who's hungry? I think it's time for dinner. Are we going out?" Christian asked barging into the room like a barbarian.

"Dinner?" I questioned. I'd already eaten ten thousand calories for lunch. I was in no mood to eat again this soon.

"We could order in," Ivan suggested. "Rose, do you know any good places?" he asked.

"Do you guys like Chinese?"

"Chinese?" they questioned.

"Oh yea, I forgot you all live under a rock. You know food they eat in China," I said rolling my eyes.

"I'd love to try it," Dimitri was the first to jump on board. Everyone else agreed and I pulled up a menu on my phone from a place I knew they would like.

"What should we get? The menu is overwhelming," Lissa said as her eyes darted back and forth from item to item. There was a knock at the door and Vika went to go answer it.

"Why not just get the dinner for six?" Dimitri suggested. It's a little bit of everything or so it says."

"Better make it for ten," Vika, said as she opened the door revealing my father, brother, Jill and little Micah.

"Baba, what are you guys doing here?" I exclaimed as Mason wheeled him in.

"Can't a father surprise his daughter with a visit for Christmas?" he asked. "I've missed you little girl and it's only been a few days," he said opening his arms for a hug. I hugged him tightly wondering how my life suddenly became so complicated.

"Are you guys staying here at the Plaza?" I asked as we all sat down to dinner.

"Just down the hall," Mason said.

"This place is awesome," Jill exclaimed.

"It is nice," I agreed, not wanting to tell her I preferred the Hyatt over Grand Central. This place was way too overdone for my taste, but I wanted them to have a great experience and this was the place to go for tourists.

I allowed Dimitri to fill up my plate with whatever he wanted and didn't object when he placed a glass of orange juice and three tiny capsules in front of me. I had no idea what they were, but swallowed them dutifully to avoid a scene.

"So where is this fiancé of yours?" Baba asked.

"He's working why?" I asked.

"I want to meet him of course," he said.

"What? Why?" I sputtered. This was so not good.

"Why? Well it could be because he's marrying my only daughter and it only seems fit that I get to meet him to see if his intentions are honorable. He didn't even ask me for your hand," he said gruffly.

"What? Dimitri never asked you for my hand. You threatened him with a switchblade," I scoffed.

"Really?" Vika asked her eyes wide. She had been fifteen at the time and no one had thought to fill her in on the details of our rushed engagement. She'd figured out later that it was because I was pregnant, but hadn't been privy to the gory details.

"Oh you didn't know that your brother only asked me to marry him because my father threatened him to within an inch of his life," I said stabbing a piece of beef and broccoli with my fork angrily.

"Roza," Dimitri chastised.

"What? Tell everyone it isn't true," I challenged him knowing he wouldn't lie.

"Even so, that isn't why I proposed and you know it," he said trying to remain calm.

"Oh yes, that's right maybe it wasn't because Baba threatened you. Maybe it was because you got me pregnant," I cried rising from the table.

"Rosemarie!" my father reprimanded me.

"No! Don't even try to act like you have any say in who I marry this time. You forced him to marry me and look at where we ended up. This is none of your business so stay out of it," I shouted. The entire table was silent save for Micah, whom I frightened with my outburst and was now crying. I left the table knocking over my chair in my haste to get away. Just as I figured he would, Dimitri was right behind me.

"Rose, that was uncalled for," he reprimanded me.

"Oh it was? Why is it that everyone is so intent on destroying the life I've built for myself here?" I cried angry tears flooding my eyes.

"No one is here to destroy your life Roza. They're here because they want to be a part of it and so do I," he said taking a seat on the bed patting the spot beside him.

"You really should tell him," he said allowing me to lean my head on his shoulder.

"He's going to hate me, but that's what you want right?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No, I don't want him to hate you Roza. I don't want to win your heart by default. I want you to choose to be with me," he said.

"And if I choose him?" I asked.

"Then I will bow out gracefully and you'll never have to see me again," he said.

"Never?" I asked.

"Well, I love you and if I lose you for good this time, then I will have to find a way to move on with my life and seeing you won't help me do that," he pointed out sagely. "Are you going to finish dinner?" he asked.

"I guess, but only because I don't want him to hear it from you," I said allowing him to corral me back into the main room.

The rest of dinner was pretty quiet. Baba, Mason and Jill took Micah back to their own room after I apologized for blowing up and scaring him.

"Are you staying here tonight?" Lissa asked. I nodded. "Where are you going to sleep?" she asked. That was a good question.

"Can I sleep in your room Vika?" I asked.

"Actually I am going to Skype with Koyla for a while so I need my privacy if you know what I mean?" she said winking.

"Ugh gross," I said holding up my hand.

"I'd offer, but Christian is a bed hog," Lissa said.

"You can sleep with me," Ivan said wiggling his eyebrows at me.

"She's sleeping in my room," Dimitri growled latching onto me possessively, giving Ivan a very dirty look. I followed him into his room silently, laughing at his jealous reaction.

"I can sleep on the sofa," he said pointing to the very small loveseat in the corner of the room.

"You won't fit on there," I scoffed.

"It won't be comfortable for you either," he said. "You need a full night's rest."

"It's a king sized bed Comrade, I'm sure we can find a way to share," I said swallowing nervously. I really just wanted to beg him to hold me close, but I knew that was selfish.

"Okay then," he said readying himself for bed.

I held out my hand expectantly and he laughed a little handing over the shirt he'd been wearing. I slipped it over my head inhaling the scent of his aftershave greedily.

We turned down the covers and climbed into bed shutting off our bedside lamps simultaneously. I lay on the very edge of the bed longing for him to wrap me up in his strong embrace the way he'd done the night the heat was out.

"You know I would never tell him the truth Roza," he said from his side of the bed.

"You wouldn't?" I asked. I'd given him every reason on Earth to blab my secret all over town, yet he wouldn't. I wanted to know why.

"I would rather you choose him, than hurt you by revealing your secrets. It kills me to see you unhappy," he said.

"You would risk losing me, just so I would be happy?" I whispered.

"Of course I would. Nothing matters to me more than your happiness," he responded.

Tears leaked silently down my cheeks as I realized that I couldn't go on with this charade any longer. I couldn't go on lying to Adrian. He deserved the truth on so many levels and tomorrow I was going to tell him everything.

**Uh oh! What do you think Adrian is thinking after reading Rose's file? What do you think is in the file? Merry Christmas Everyone! This chapter is over 5,000 words as a gift to all my readers. Now I can't promise to update again before Christmas as I will be very busy these next few days baking cookies, wrapping gifts and celebrating with friends and family, however I do promise you an update as soon as possible after Christmas and most definitely before the new year! Reviews make lovely Christmas gifts! Let me know what you think=)**


	21. Chapter 21: Cat's Out of the Bag

**Chapter 21: Cats out of the Bag**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**Okay I know it's been over a week, but I did promise before the New Year and I'm totally meeting that deadline. I apologize for my tardiness and give the excuse that my mother in law had a stroke on Christmas Eve and we've been at the hospital and helping my father in law out a lot. I hope you all have a fabulous new years and leave me your last review for 2012. **

SPOV

"Did you do what I told you?" I asked pressing an envelope into his hands.

"I did, he's reading the file right now."

"All of it?"

"All of it minus the part you asked me to change," he replied swiftly counting the cash.

"It's all there," I assured him.

"Can I ask why you're doing this? I mean what's in it for you?"

"I have my reasons," I told him.

"He's going to be pissed at her regardless of the missing information you know," he warned.

"I know."

"Then what was the point of the switch?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I'm just buying him a few more days."

"How do you know she won't blow it and confess the truth?"

"I have a hunch that she's going to want to keep that part of it a secret," I said walking away from him, pulling out my phone.

"Did you make the switch?"

"Yes, but it wasn't easy and it wasn't cheap. You owe me," I said.

"Come and meet me, it's been a long time."

"Yes it has," I said snapping my phone shut and heading towards the Plaza.

RPOV

I took a deep breath as I stood in front of our door.

"Here goes nothing," I muttered pushing the door open. I set my keys down and walked into the kitchen. I was startled to see Adrian sitting at the dining room table. He was dressed in the same suit he'd been wearing yesterday only his tie hung loosely around his neck, his sleeves were rolled up and his shirt was rumpled. There was a bottle of vodka sitting on the table with an empty glass sitting next to it. He was so engaged in the file he was going through that he didn't even look up as I entered.

"Adrian?" I questioned approaching him with caution. "Are you okay?"

He raised his head and I could see dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. He didn't say anything, but the look on his face told me something was not right with him.

"Babe, did you sleep in your clothes?" I asked coming up behind him squeezing his shoulders gently.

"I didn't sleep," he responded in a monotone shaking my hands off of him. This was not good. Usually when he was working on a client file and it wasn't going well, he would blow it off for a bit and joke around with me. This was different. He was different.

"What's the matter?" I asked perturbed at his odd behavior.

"Why don't you tell me Rose or should I say Rosemarie Mazur," he deadpanned.

"What?" I choked out. How could he have possibly figured that out? I eyed the file on the table wondering if it was about me.

"I had my private investigator look into your past after you lied to me about Russia and he dug up some pretty interesting stuff," he said gruffly pushing the file folder towards me. I guess that answered my question.

"You had me investigated?" I asked dumbfounded. I knew he was acting too casual about the whole Russia thing. I should have known he had a PI at his beck and call. Everyone with money did. That's the way they weeded out the gold diggers.

"I did and with good reason," he snorted gesturing towards the file.

"Adrian, I don't," I started.

"I don't want to hear it," he said getting up, grabbing the bottle of vodka and taking a slug right from the bottle. I'd never seen him like this before. He rarely got angry and never with me.

"Adrian please," I pleaded. "Let me explain."

"Why should I? All you do is lie."

"I came here to tell you the truth today," I said softly.

"Why should I believe that? You've been lying to me for years, why start telling the truth now?"

"Please just let me explain," I pleaded. "It isn't what you think," I said. In reality it was so much worse than he could ever imagine.

"Fine, but if I hear one thing that doesn't agree with what's in that folder then I'm out of here," he said sitting back down.

I sighed pacing as I thought of where to start.

"What do you need more time to think of a good lie?" he sneered, ready to vacate his seat again.

"No, it's just a hard story for me to tell," I responded.

"You have five minutes," he said glancing at his watch.

"When I told you that I left because my father and I had different ideas about how I should live my life, well it was the truth. I let my high school boyfriend get me pregnant and my father threatened him until he agreed to marry me," I blurted out careful not to use the word Dimitri or I'm still married. His face softened a bit and I could tell he was willing to listen at least for the time being.

"If you knew my father, you'd know that no one says no to Abe Mazur, so I married him and six months later Alexandr was born," I continued.

"Did you love him?" he asked.

"He was my son, of course I loved him," I cried.

"Not him, Mikhail," he said.

"Mikhail?" I questioned. Who in the hell was Mikhail?

"Yes, your ex-husband," he said in exasperation. "The guy who knocked you up!"

I raised my eyebrow taking a good look at the marriage certificate in the file. It indeed said that I'd been married to a Mikhail Tanner. His name was also on Alexandr's birth certificate.

"Did you?" he repeated.

I nodded. "I did," I told him. Again it was a lie, but what was I supposed to say? I couldn't tell him that the marriage certificate had been altered somehow and that I was really still in love with Dimitri whom I was technically still married to. "It was a long time ago. That isn't who I am anymore."

"So if you have a son, then where is he?" I knew it was a logical question, but it was one I was never fully prepared to answer. My lip began to quiver and tears sprung to my eyes as I looked down at the floor.

"When he was seven months old, he had a seizure in his sleep and he…," I trailed off, not being able to say the words. His eyes widened and he looked ashamed.

"Come here," he said opening his arms for me.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I can't even imagine what that must have been like for you. I'm so sorry I was angry. I hate that you lied to me, but I can see why you did," he said holding me close, stroking my hair softly as I sobbed into his shirt.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just hate talking about my past. It's too painful," I sniffled. "It was the worst thing that I ever lived through and no one understands," I sobbed.

"I'm sorry for jumping down your throat. I should have trusted that there was a good reason you didn't tell me. I just hate that there's so much that I don't know about you and I feel like ever since you got home, you've been distant. In fact, I felt it the night we got engaged. Are you having second thoughts? What happened while you were in Russia?"

I swallowed nervously. In truth I was having second thoughts, but I knew that it was better if I married him and stayed here in New York. If I let Dimitri seduce me back to Baia, my life would be over. As much as my heart ached for him, I couldn't give up everything I'd made for myself here and there was no way I was having another baby for him, so I wasn't even sure why he was still pursuing me. Surely he couldn't possibly want me if I refused him a family.

"Going back to Baia stirred up a lot of old memories—ones that I had tried so hard to forget. I left there seven years ago hoping to never have to deal with my past, but as it turns out the past has a way of catching up with you."

"If you wanted to leave it behind, then why did you bring home an entourage?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Lissa has been my best friend forever and by leaving, I missed a lot in her life. There are many parts of my old life that I want to leave behind, but she isn't one of them."

"What about the rest?"

"They're just part of the Lissa package," I said hoping he would buy it.

He let out a breath of air. "So you're not having second thoughts?" he asked pulling back so he could get a read on my emotions.  
I shook my head. "Of course not, I love you," I said kissing him softly. It was a statement of fact. I did love him. What he didn't know is that although I loved him, I was in love with Dimitri.

"I know you're mad, but please try to understand," I begged.

"I'm not angry that you were married or that you had a child or are divorced and that you're from Russia. What I'm upset about is the fact that you lied to me about it. Rose, I love you and that wouldn't have changed just because you had a past. Who doesn't? There are things I'm not exactly happy about in my past, but that's why it's called the past. If we're going to do this, really do this, then you're going to have to be open and honest with me. Can you do that?" he asked.

I swallowed nervously nodding in agreement even though I was still keeping things from him. I knew it made me a liar and a really bad person, but I just couldn't bring myself to admit that someone had switched the names in that file. I had no idea who had done it, but I was determined to find out.

"Well I for one cannot wait to get out of here and have you all to myself in Paris, but until then what do you say you and I get reacquainted," he said leading me towards the bedroom. There was absolutely no way I was getting out of this one or he would definitely break off our engagement.

"Babe, where are you going?" he asked as I hopped out of bed grabbing my robe.

"We have the benefit tonight and you know it takes me six hours to get ready," I pointed out.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the dress you picked out," he said wiggling his eyebrows at me flirtatiously.

I went into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. "What did I do?" I whispered taking in my appearance in the mirror. I hung my head in shame wondering how making love to my fiancé felt so wrong. Oh yea stupid, it feels wrong because you're technically cheating on your husband, I thought splashing some cool water on my face.

It would kill Dimitri if he found out, but who was going to tell him? Adrian wasn't the type to brag in public and I certainly wasn't going to tell him. I took a shower doing my best to get dressed and ready for the evening ahead. I didn't have time to think about the consequences of my actions right now.

"What's the matter?" Adrian asked stepping into the bathroom after hearing my call of distress.

"I can't get the zipper closed," I told him, my fingers fumbling as I failed again miserably as I tried to pull it up.

"Let me see that," he said. "Hold your breath," he commanded.

I sucked in my stomach and held my breath and finally I heard it zip closed.

"Is it supposed to be that tight?" he asked scratching his head?"

I shook my head. "No," I said. "Damn you Dimitri," I muttered. He'd all but cooked every one of my favorite breakfast foods this morning including chocolate chip pancakes.

"I think I gained a few pounds," I said looking at my unflattering reflection in the mirror.

"Well in my opinon, you'd look just as beautiful with a little meat on your bones," he said kissing my cheek. "I'll call Tatiana and have her sent over Ambrose right away," he said grabbing his cell from the charger. I'd nearly forgotten that Tatiana was his distant cousin and that is how I'd met her in the first place. An hour later Ambrose had let out my dress and we were on our way to the gala.

"You look unbelievable in that dress," Dimitri said cornering me after pleasantries were made. Adrian was talking to some investors and had left me alone at the bar.

"You know I love you in red," he growled pulling me into a dark corner, shoving me up against the wall as he found the slit in my dress running his hand up my bare thigh.

"Dimitri don't," I hissed trying to pull away from him, but it was futile. He had me pinned up against the wall and damn was it arousing.

"I can't help myself Roza, you're irresistible," he said placing his lips on my neck sucking gently right on the place he knew drove me wild.

"Please stop," I moaned guilt creeping into my soul. I was glad I had the foresight to wash the smell of Adrian's cologne off me before we came here.

"Only because dinner is being served and I need to make sure you eat," he said pulling away stealing one quick kiss on the lips before leading me over to our table leaving me flustered as usual. We sat down again with me sandwiched between the men who were warring over my heart only one of them didn't know it was a contest and at the moment, a contest he was losing. I couldn't deny the lack of fire between us earlier as we made what I could only call brotherly love. The spark and passion that flowed through me whenever Dimitri touched me was undeniable. Just minutes ago I would have fled back to Baia with him in a heartbeat if he would have asked, but now that I had my head on straight, I was as confused as I'd ever been.

"What are you doing?" Adrian hissed in my ear.

"What?" I asked wiping my mouth with my napkin.

"You do realize that you're eating meat," he said staring at me like I'd grown another head.

"Oh," I said stopping my fork in midair halfway to my mouth.

"Yea, well you know I decided that the whole vegan thing is really just not working out," I said laughing nervously.

"Good, you're too skinny," he said placing his hand over mine. "I was beginning to worry you'd wither away." Beside me Dimitri grunted and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I managed to eat majority of what was on my plate and was absolutely delighted to dig into my chocolate mousse when dessert arrived.

"Would you like to have mine as well?" Dimitri offered. I pondered the consequences a moment before sticking my spoon in his glass and eating that one as well.

"Thanks," I said licking the last of the mousse off my spoon.

"What's yours in mine Milaya," he told me in Russian. I was so glad that Adrian did not understand Russian.

"So what did you guys do with my father and brother?" I asked. Adrian had gone off to the bar to grab some drinks and I wanted to know where they were.

"They're at the hotel," Lissa said.

"Come to think of it. Where is Ivan?" I asked not having noticed his absence until now.

"He elected to stay back, there was something he had to do," Christian snickered.

"Am I missing something?" I asked. No one said anything as a man announced that the silent auction was beginning shortly.

"What's a silent auction?" Lissa asked as we walked around browsing the items up for bid.

"Each item has a net worth and it is listed on the sheet. People can bid that price or higher to secure the item only they do it in writing," I said penciling my name in for an antique grandfather clock I'd been eying all evening.

"Hey babe, what are you bidding on?" Adrian asked snaking his arms around my waist. I gestured towards the clock.

"Ah, the elusive grandfather clock. Rose has been obsessed with that clock and it's never been for sale before now. I've offered to buy her many different ones over the years, yet this is the one she prefers. Any insight?" he asked looking at my course none of them would know why I wanted that clock. None except for Dimitri, who remained silent.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Why are you always looking in that window?" Dimitri asked as I stopped again in front of Yuri's. We were on our way home from school of course now that Dimitri was older, he went to the school across town, but he got out earlier than I did and always came to walk me home. Yuri's was an antique shop that had been here as long as I could remember and I often stopped to gaze in the window. **_

"_**No reason," I said pulling myself away from the window embarrassed of being caught staring in yet again. **_

"_**Don't lie to me Roza," he said grasping my arm forcing me to face him. I sighed heavily knowing he wasn't going to let it go until I gave him an answer. **_

"_**I just like to look in there okay," I said shaking his hand off me and adjusting my backpack as I stormed away. Damn him for being nosy, I thought swiping a tear off my face.**_

"_**Roza, wait," he called chasing after me. **_

"_**What? Why do I have to have a reason for everything? Can't you just ever leave well enough alone?" I cried.**_

"_**You're upset, you're my best friend. I want to help you," he said. **_

"_**I was looking at the clock in the window. My mother had one just like it. Baba got rid of it when we moved. It reminds me of her is all," I said. "I know it's stupid and it costs a million dollars I'll never be able to have one like it so just stop." **_

"_**It isn't stupid Roza," he said pulling me into a giant hug. I leaned into him snuggling my face in the crook of his neck drying my tears on his shirt. Dimitri was my safe place and no matter how bad I felt, he always knew how to comfort me.**_

_**End Flashback**_

"I just like this one okay," I snapped not feeling like drudging up the past.

"What did you bid on?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"Well since we'll be off to Paris for the New Year, I thought I'd bid on a time share at a little chateau in the Loire Valley," he said kissing my cheek.

"You're going to Paris for New Years?" Lissa asked, her eyes wide.

"I, uh," I stammered not knowing what to say.

"Yes, we are heading out on the twenty-ninth," Adrian said much to my disgrace.

I chanced a look at Dimitri. His lips were set in a hard line and his fists were clenched at his sides.

"I think I need some air, please excuse me," he said pushing past us.

"Adrian can you tell me more about that chateau. I've been dying to go to France," Lissa said steering him away leaving me free to go after Dimitri.

"Dimitri wait," I called. "Where are you going?" I asked finally catching up with him which was hard to do with his long legs and my high heels.

"Where am I going?" he cried yelling at me in Russian. He usually only did that when he was really pissed and too angry to remember his English.

"I'm going back to the hotel, packing my things and going back to Baia."

My heart nearly stopped beating as he threatened to leave.

"Paris Rose!" he cried. "Were you even going to tell me or were you just going to leave like you planned to all those years ago?"

I stood there in the middle of the street hanging my head in shame.

"I don't know," I cried biting my lip. "I'm confused."

"I've tried to be understanding, but this I don't understand. Either you love him or you love me. You can't have it both ways. I can't possibly imagine loving another woman because I am so in love with you!" he cried grabbing my arms pulling me close to him so he could look in my eyes.

"Tell me you love him and then I will go."

"I do love him," I said forcing myself to look in his eyes.

"Did you sleep with him?" he asked his eyes narrowing.

"What? Why would you ask me that?" I cried.

"It's a yes or no question Rose."

I shook my head. "Why does it matter?"

"I'll take that as a yes," he responded dropping his hands.

"I hope you get everything you want in life and have a beautiful wedding," he said bending down to kiss my cheek softly.

"Goodbye Roza." With those last words, he left walking swiftly towards the subway station.

"He's tired of you dicking him around you know," Christian's voice startled me as I continued to watch Dimitri's retreating back in the distance as he hurried down the stairs.

"I'm not trying to," I said.

"I know you're not at least not intentionally, but the man has put himself out there time and time again and you continuously throw it all away. What the hell is wrong with you? Do you really think that what you have in there is better? I've seen you with him and I know you don't love him. Why are you doing this? Is this all worth it?" he asked gesturing to the lights of the city behind us.

"I don't know. I'm so confused," I said telling the truth. I started to shiver as snow began to fall.

"Do you really think he's serious about leaving?" I asked as he handed me his coat.

He shook his head. "I don't know, but if he is, you have a very short window of opportunity to stop him. What you choose to do with that opportunity will define the rest of your life. I'd think really hard about what you really want in life and I'd think fast," he said heading back inside.

DPOV

"What happened D?" Ivan came in just as I was throwing everything I owned into my suitcase.

"I'm leaving tonight," I said pulling off my bow tie, tossing it to the floor followed by my cufflinks, cummerbund and tuxedo jacket.

"Woah, woah, tell me what happened?"

"I'm done competing for something I'll never win," I said wiping the sweat from my brow. The look of guilt that flittered across her face when I asked her if she'd been with him was unmistakable. I couldn't believe she'd slept with him after I told her how much it meant to me that she didn't. How many more times was I going to let her rip my heart out of my chest and stomp it to death. Not divorcing her made me stupid, following her here made me a fool, but staying here another day would just make me plain pathetic.

"Dude, you don't look so good. Are you feeling okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure, the woman I love told me she loves someone else. I feel like a million bucks," I said sitting down in the chair. In truth, I didn't feel so hot. After dinner I'd begun feeling a little queasy and it had only gotten worse after.

"She slept with him," I said shaking my head. "She knew it would hurt me, but she did it anyway."

"Dude that's brutal. She actually threw it in your face that she was sleeping with him? I mean I know Rose can be a bitch, but that takes the cake.

"She didn't say it, I just knew by the way she was acting and she didn't deny it," I said shivering a little. For some reason I was beginning to feel really cold even though a second ago I was burning up.

"Seriously man you're sweating bullets. Maybe you should lie down," he suggested.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I said shooting out of my seat and rushing for the bathroom.

RPOV

"What's wrong?" Adrian asked as I reentered the gala.

"Dimitri wasn't feeling well and had to go back to the hotel," I lied.

"Oh, well I hope he feels better soon. Would you like to dance?" he asked.

"Rain check? I'm pretty tired. Can we go home now?"

"Actually I have some work to finish up. Would you like me to get the car for you?"

"Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Are you sure it can't wait?" I whined. I was in no mood to go home and sit by myself, especially after the altercation I'd just had with Dimitri. I needed to figure out once and for all where I belonged and I couldn't do that if Adrian was at work.

"Babe, my dad is breathing down my throat on this Yamamoto stuff and I just can't leave it sit over the holidays. I want to get as much as I can done tonight. Why don't you go back to the hotel with your friends? I'm going to be really late tonight," he suggested kissing my cheek as he walked me out to the car where my friends were already waiting.

"Okay," I said waving as we pulled away from the curb.

"Where's Dimitri?" Vika asked.

"He's angry with me. He said he's packing a bag and going back to Baia tonight," I sighed.

"What? What did you say to him?" she gasped.

"Nothing. Why does everyone always blame me for his moody behavior?" I cried in exasperation. "He wants me to leave Adrian and run away with him like usual and I didn't fall into his arms and confess my undying love and now he's pissed," I huffed in annoyance.

"Well I don't blame him Roza. When are you going to wake up? My brother is the best thing that ever happened to you and you treat him like dirt. You're my friend and my sister in law and I love you, but sometimes you're a real idiot!" she cried exiting the car.

"I agree with her," Christian said.

"No one asked for your opinion Sparky," I snapped.

"What is all this?" Lissa asked as we walked up to the front of the hotel. There were paramedics and an ambulance and they were wheeling someone out on a gurney.

"Dimka?" Vika cried as she saw Ivan and Mason following the gurney along with Jill and Sydney.

"Oh my God, what happened?" I cried as I realized Dimitri was the one being wheeled out.

"I don't know. He felt sick and he was sweating and then he started vomiting and then he just collapsed," Ivan said.

"I'm going with him," Viktoria cried. "I'm his sister," she told the paramedics.

"I'm his wife," I blurted out pushing past her.

"You can ride with us," they told me.

I kicked off my heels and hopped into the ambulance. They worked on him for a bit and hooked him up to an IV and began to monitor his heart.

"What's wrong with him? Is he going to be alright?" I asked freaking out at the thought of anything happening to him.

"We're not sure. What was he doing right before this happened?"

"Uh, we were at a charity gala. We had dinner and then we got into an argument," I admitted.

"Does your husband have a history of heart problems?" one of them asked.

"Uh, no, not that I know of," I stuttered. Not that I knew what his health had been like these past seven years, but I knew he worked out and he almost never got sick when we were kids.

"Come on Comrade, don't do this to me," I pleaded taking his cold clammy hand in mine. "I need you. You can't die. I love you," I confessed to him in Russian, kissing his cheek.

**So Adrian knows, Dimitri is sick? And what the heck is up with Sydney? I know you're all mad that Rose slept with Adrian, but he used compulsion on me and I had to do it=)**


	22. Chapter 22: What a Girl Wants

**Chapter 22: What a Girl Wants**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**Sadly I have to go back to work on Monday so I am not sure when my next update will be. I will try to keep I at once a week, but don't freak out if it's more like ten days. Did I mention I hate work? Alas, someone has to pay the mortgage.**

RPOV

I was pacing the waiting room waiting for news when Viktoria arrived.

"He doesn't have a bad heart does he?" I asked hoping she would say no.

"Dimka? He's healthy as a horse. He works out and eats pretty well. Sonya forces him to take vitamins and he drinks a lot less than he used to. Why did they say it was his heart?" she asked in a panicked tone.

"No, they just asked me if he had a history of heart problems and I said I didn't think so."

"Mrs. Belikov, we need you to fill out these forms for your husband," a nurse told me handing me a clipboard. I sucked in a breath of air. It had been a long time since someone had called me that surprisingly though, it didn't feel strange at all. I sat and began filling out page after page of medical history with input from Viktoria. I was just about finished when the rest of the group arrived including my father and brother and to my surprise, Sydney.

"How is he?" Ivan asked with concern.

"He didn't regain consciousness in the ambulance and we haven't heard anything," I told them.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed dragging Sydney aside.

"I'm here for you," she said trying to cover for her obvious lie.

"And you were at the hotel because you're psychic?" I snorted.

"Fine, but don't freak out," she said.

"You what?" I cried after she'd finished explaining.

"I'm not really a model. I'm an actress. Your father hired me shortly after you left Russia."

"This is so not happening," I said sitting down rubbing my temples.

"Look, he thought you would need a friend so he put me up in the loft and I advertised for a roommate and you answered my ad."

"This whole time you were just pretending to be my friend so you could feed him information on me?" I cried feeling betrayed.

"No, it isn't like that," she insisted.

"Oh so when I opened up to you about my past, you already knew what I was going to say? How convenient. Did you rehearse what you would say to comfort me? Did my father write you a script?"

"Rose, listen. It may have started out as me working for your father, but after a while, I couldn't do it anymore so after we got the modeling gig, I sent him back his money and I quit.

"Is this why you kept pushing me to be with Dimitri and why you've always been against me and Adrian?" I asked the pieces of the puzzle beginning to make a picture in my head.

"Yes," she said hanging her head in shame.

"Kizim, might I have a word?" my father asked butting into our conversation.

"Like I could stop you if I tried," I spat.

"She's telling the truth. She broke contact with me four years ago. She really is a true friend to you," he said coming to her defense.

"Then why was she at the hotel tonight?" I asked hands on my hips.

He shook his head. "Ivashkov's private detective figured out your identity and I figured it was only a matter of time before he put two and two together. I wanted to give Belikov more time."

"So you had Sydney switch his name in the files," I whispered slapping my forehead. How could I have been so dense? Mikhail Tanner was an old friend of my fathers. I should have figured he was behind this in some way.

"Do you think you can forgive me?" Sydney asked.

I sighed. "I don't know what to think right now. Give me some space," I requested.

"That sounds fair," she agreed backing off. "Call me if you need anything."

We sat waiting for what seemed like an eternity before a doctor came out to speak with us.

"Are you the family of Dimitri Belikov?" he asked.  
"I'm his wife," I said rising to shake his hand. "How is he?"

"Your husband is suffering from a severe case of food poisoning. Did he consume any oysters recently?"

"Yes, at the gala this evening," I said. "Will he be alright?"

"He's stable and a little groggy. I'd say the worst of it has passed, but it won't fully be out of his system for about seventy-two hours."

"Can we see him?" Viktoria butted in.

"Sure, but one at a time. He was asking for Roza."

I followed the doctor into his room. He was propped up in bed hooked up to an IV. He looked weak and exhausted and it scared me a little. He was always such a pillar of strength.

"Hey," I said approaching his bedside timidly. He had been angry with me earlier in the evening and I wasn't sure why he had asked for me. I hoped it wasn't to yell at me some more. He smiled at me holding out his hand.

"How are you feeling?" I asked taking his hand in mine.

"Like I've been bulldozed," he joked a little.

"About earlier," I started.

"Earlier?" he asked.

"You don't remember?"

"Tonight is a little hazy. I remember being at the gala, but everything else is a blur."

I didn't know if I should be relieved that he didn't remember our fight or if I should just come clean with him now.

"We had an argument," I confessed not wanting to lie anymore.

"When don't we argue," he said squeezing my hand tightly.

"What happened to your dress? Now that I remember," he said raising his eyebrow as he took in my attire.

I looked down at the green scrubs I was currently wearing. "Let's just say that your dinner and my dress had a little fight in the ambulance on the way over," I said with a grimace.

"You rode with me?" he asked seemingly astonished at my admission.

"I did."

"Where is your fiancé?"

"He's at work. It's not important right now," I said.

"When can I get out of here?" he asked looking around anxiously.

"Probably not until at least tomorrow," I said. His face fell.

"This isn't how I imagined us spending Christmas."

"Hey don't worry about it," I told him.

"Stay with me tonight?" he asked.

"Of course," I told him. "I wouldn't leave you here by yourself. Let me go home and get a change of clothes and I'll be back in a little while. I'll send in Vika. She's really worried."

"Don't be too long," he called smiling weakly at me again.

I knew it was the chicken's way out, but I didn't want to start another fight in the middle of the hospital, nor did I want him to remember that I'd slept with Adrian and that he had been headed to the airport before he got sick, so I called in Viktoria to keep him busy while I went to do damage control.

"Ivan, can I speak with you a minute?" I asked returning to the waiting room.

"What is it?" he asked as soon as we were alone.

"What happened back at the hotel room?" I asked trying to feel him out. I wondered how much information Dimitri had shared with him before he became ill.

"Oh, so you want to know if he told me what you did?" he said catching on all too quickly to my motive.

"So he told you," I said my heart sinking.

"Oh yea, he told me what a cheating whore you are," he lit into me.

"It wasn't like that. You don't know," I said defending myself, although even I knew that it was a weak argument.

"I don't know? Sure, I don't know how he lost his job because he was too depressed to go to work after you left him. I also don't know that he drank himself stupid for an entire week and every birthday and holiday after. What I really don't know is how he could possibly still love such a cold hearted bitch like you!" he snarled grabbing me by the shoulders.

"Let him go Rose. He's better off without you," he said dropping his hands, walking away from me.

I stood there sobs rising in my chest as I looked back on the past seven years of my life. He was right. I was unlovable. I had treated Dimitri so poorly and it didn't just start after Alexandr was gone. I had been downright terrible to him from the day we said I do. I couldn't believe what a fool I'd been not being able to see what was right in front of my face. If I thought long and hard about every decision I made since the day we were married, the best one was to stay away from him. All I did was cause him pain.

"Roza, where are you going?" Vika called as I waited for the elevator. My shoulders were slumped and tears flowed freely down my cheeks.

"Away from here. He doesn't need me to mess up his life again. I should never have let him come here," I cried. "I'm only hurting him."

"Yes, I agree that you are hurting him, but leaving isn't the answer. You know what you need to do," she said giving me a pointed look.

I nodded. The elevator came and I had a decision to make. Would I go home to Adrian and let Dimitri move on with his life or would I stay here and tell him how I really felt.

DPOV

"Hey man, how are you feeling?" Ivan asked entering my room.

"Not too good," I admitted having spent the last twenty minutes with my head in a bedpan retching up stomach bile.

"So I guess this puts a damper on your plans for tonight," he said taking a seat in the chair next to my bed.

"Plans?" I asked. I didn't remember having plans other than to try and seduce Rose.

"You know, flying home and all."

I shook my head. "Flying home?" I asked.

"You know because of what Rose did."

"No I don't know. What did she do?" I asked curious to know what Rose had done to make me angry enough to fly home.

"Dude, you really don't remember the epic fight you two had?"

"Things are a bit jumbled," I admitted.

"Man that's messed up. I thought she'd at least tell you about the fight."

"She did mention that we fought," I said defending Rose.

"I'll bet she left out the juicy details," he snorted.

"Well why don't you inform me instead of beating around the bush," I snapped.

"You really want to know?" he asked.  
"Of course, now spill," I demanded.

"I slept with Adrian," Rose blurted out from the doorway.

The moment the words left her mouth, I remembered our argument, every last agonizingly painful word of it.

"Ivan, could you please excuse us," I asked through gritted teeth. He vacated his seat quickly leaving us alone.

"Dimitri, I'm sorry,"she started.

"Stop, I don't want to hear it. Let's just face it. You were right. We're not meant to be," I told her.

The look of pain on her face almost made me regret what I'd said, but I couldn't. I'd pleaded with her point blank not to sleep with him and she'd thrown it in my face. I knew coming here would mean risking my dignity and my heart. I just hoped to leave here with one or both and now I had neither.

"I guess you're right," she whispered.

"Can you find my wallet?" I asked, my head beginning to spin.

"Sure," she said rifling through my pant pockets.

"What are you doing?" she asked as I pulled a folded up piece of paper out of them.

"Giving you what you want," I said grabbing a pen off the bedside table. I scribbled my name on the line and handed her the paper.

"What is this?" she asked.

"It's what you wanted isn't it?" I asked as realization flittered across her face.

She nodded, biting her lip the way she always did when she was trying not to cry.

"Rose it's better this way," I said my stomach beginning to gurgle again, I didn't know if it was because of the food poisoning or if it was because I was letting her go and it was making me sick.

"I know, it just feels different than I thought it would," she said a tear slipping slowly down her cheek.

"Roza…" I started, but was unable to finish due to the shooting pains in my abdomen.

"Dimitri what is it? Are you okay? Do you want me to call the doctor?" she asked.

"No, I think I'll be…." I couldn't finish my sentence due to the intense vomit spewing from my mouth.

RPOV

I stood there dumbfounded holding the signed divorce papers in my hands. A feeling of intense regret washed over me and I wanted to scream that it was all a big mistake and throw myself at his mercy begging him to take me back, but he seemed so calm about the whole thing. Maybe it was really better off this way. It was the reason I'd sought him out in Baia after all.

He started to say something, but didn't finish doubling over clutching his side as he vomited over the side of the bed.

I walked over to get the bedpan and pulled his hair back out of the way. I pressed the call button on his bed so a nurse could come and clean up. I began to worry as he continued to vomit barely having enough time to catch a quick breath of air between heaves.

I looked around frantically for the nurse who was nowhere in sight. I didn't want to leave him for fear that he'd choke. The bedpan was full and I didn't know what to do so I just held his head with my arm around his chest as he continued to empty his stomach. It was all over the bed, his chest, my arms and the floor and when he finally let up collapsing against me I screamed as I saw the blood dripping from his mouth. I looked down at my arms and his gown screaming louder.

"Somebody help us!" I whailed. "Please!" I cried.

"Dimitri," I said slapping his face a little. I could not let him fall asleep or he would choke. He groaned before his whole body became rigid and he began to convulse violently.

"Please help us!" I cried out again. This time someone finally heard me as two nurses rushed into the room.

"What happened?" one of them asked as they paged the doctor.

"I don't know. One minute he was talking and the next he was vomiting blood," I cried.

"Someone get her out of here," the doctor ordered as a team of professionals surrounded him.

"Please don't let him die," I cried as the restrained me dragging me from the room.

"You need to wait here," the orderly told me.

"Rose, what happened?" Lissa gasped seeing me covered in blood.

"I don't know," I sobbed. "One minute he was fine and the next he was vomiting up blood. I think he was having a seizure," I sobbed hysterically. That is how our son died and I couldn't handle it if the same thing happened to Dimitri.

"Oh my God, Rose, it's okay. He's strong. He's going to be fine," she said wrapping me up in a hug. Mason came over and Lissa released me into his arms.

"What if I lose him? What if he never knows," I bawled breaking down completely.

"Shh, Rose, never knows what?" Mason asked.

"What if he never knows I love him."

"Rosie, he knows. Don't worry. Deep down, he knows," he said stroking my hair trying to comfort me. The problem was that he didn't know. He had signed the papers and I never had the chance to tell him the reason I came back to his room tonight. I didn't get the chance to tell him that he had won. He was the one I loved more than anything and I wanted to be his wife. Now he might never know.

We sat and waited again, Baba and Mason sitting on either side of me holding my hands so I didn't fall apart.

"Roza, what happened? Why are you covered in blood?" Viktoria gasped returning from the cafeteria, dropping the cup of coffee that was in her hand.

"Dimitri had a little setback in his recovery. The doctors are with him now," Ivan said trying to comfort her.

"What do you mean a little setback?" she questioned nervously.

"He had a seizure," I choked out. Her eyes went wide and she let Ivan comfort her.

"Do you want me to go back to your place and get you some clothes?" Lissa asked sympathetically.

I nodded. "Just some yoga pants and a sweatshirt and a coat."

"You're going to stay the night right?" she asked.

"I am, so maybe pack a toothbrush and my hairbrush and some extra underwear," I told her. Focusing my attention on anything but Dimitri's health was imperative for my not going insane.

It had been two hours since I'd been thrown out of Dimitri's room and I was going stir crazy.

"I need some air," I announced getting up from my seat.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Mason asked.

I shook my head. "I'll be fine."

I walked out the front door of the hospital into the crisp December air. It was after midnight and officially Christmas Eve. I had only been out there a minute when I was accosted by the paparazzi.

"Miss Hathaway, it's rumored that your husband is in there."

"Does your fiancé know you are already married?"

"What's his name? How long have you been married?"

"Why are you covered in blood?"

The questions came at me faster than I could handle them and before I knew it cameras were flashing in my face. I ran for the safety of the building and didn't stop until I was in the elevator. As the doors closed, I pressed the stop button falling to the ground in sobs. Could this night get any worse? The love of my life was fighting for his life and I was sure by morning that Adrian would hate me after he saw the news. The worst part of all though, was that I was being exposed for something that wasn't even true anymore. Dimtri had signed the papers and we were officially divorced.

**Uh oh! Divorce, exposure, will the Russian be okay? What did you think of Sydney being an actress hired by Abe? Review if you want Dimtri to forgive Rose**


	23. Chapter 23: Duplicity

**Chapter 23: Duplicity**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**So if you were wondering why Dimitri is the only one who got poisoned it is because it only takes one bad oyster to make you sick. He had a bad one. No one else did.**

DPOV

I woke slowly as if from a dream opening my eyes to unfamiliar surroundings. The smell of bleach and rubbing alcohol mingled with just the faintest hint of bad cafeteria food. I struggled to open my eyes. They felt heavy and when I lifted my eyelids things were blurry. As they came into focus, I surveyed the room I was in. The walls were beige and lacked décor and I could hear a faint beeping sound. I was hooked up to an IV drip and wearing a hospital gown. I slowly crained my neck and the image of Rose sleeping in a chair next to my bed brought the images of the previous evening back in a flurry of memories.

I watched her sleep for a few minutes contemplating whether or not I should wake her. I decided against it remembering what had transpired moments before I became violently ill for the second time. I leaned my head back against the pillows letting out a sigh of remorse. I had let my anger and betrayal get the better of me and I had signed the papers in a hasty effort to stop the pain I'd felt as she admitted to sleeping with Adrian. In the light of day, I realized my mistake, but of course there was no taking it back now. Legally, once those papers were filed, we would be divorced and I would no longer have any claim on her. She would be free to fly off to Paris with him and elope. My heart constricted at the thought of her smiling as she walked down that aisle dressed in white for him instead of me. She would be happy this time, smiling brightly at him instead of crying hysterically avoiding my gaze like she had on our wedding day.

Maybe it was for the best. I had tried so hard to make her happy and in the end maybe it just wasn't meant to be. I had spent too long fighting for her affection and I was exhausted. Coming here had been a mistake and all I wanted right now was to go home and lick my wounds. She had cut me deep this time and I didn't know if I would ever forgive her. I knew that in my heart of hearts I would eventually move past her betrayal, but by then it would be too late and she would belong to another. I decided the best course of action would be to catch a flight as soon as I was able to fly and this time, I wouldn't look back. Still, as I watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest, I wondered if she didn't love me, then why was she here sleeping next to my bed side risking her engagement? Is it possible that I had finally gotten through to her only to realize it was too late for us?

I attempted to stretch my legs and realized just how awful I truly felt. I couldn't help the groan that escaped me as I tried unsuccessfully to sit upright. Beside me Rose stirred sitting up straight, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"You're awake," she said springing from her seat. "I was so worried," she cried throwing her arms around me burying her face in my neck. I allowed her to hug me, but didn't respond. I needed to distance myself from her, but oh how hard that was to do when she was practically sitting on my lap smelling like lilies.

"How are you feeling? Do you want me to get the nurse?" she asked pulling back to inspect me.

Upon closer scrutiny I realized she was no longer in the scrubs she had been wearing before I blacked out. She was wearing one of my flannel shirts and a pair sweatpants that said Baia Police Department in Russian down the side. She mustn't have gone home. I wondered what her fiancé would think about that. Her eyes were swollen and rimmed with red, her make-up forming a trail down her cheek that confirmed the fact that she'd been crying. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun with stray pieces flying out everywhere. She looked tired, but was still the most exquisitely beautiful creature on Earth.

"How long have I been out?" I asked ignoring her question.

"Almost a day," she replied biting her lip. "It's Christmas," she said pointing to the clock that said it was in fact seven in the morning making it December twenty-fifth and American Christmas.

"What happened?" I asked wanting to know why I had fallen unconscious for the second time. Food poisoning could be dangerous, but the doctors hadn't seemed to think it was that bad.

Her eyes glassed over with tears and she began to shake a little. She swallowed before speaking.

"You had a seizure," she whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. I inhaled sharply realizing immediately why she was so shaken.

"Come here," I commanded patting the side of the bed.

"I was so scared," she sobbed as I wrapped my arms around her. "I thought you were going to die." I rubbed my hand in soothing circles on her back allowing her to let it out. It couldn't have been easy for her to see that without her mind taking her back to the night our son died.

"Shh, Roza, I'm fine. There's nothing to be afraid of," I assured her continuing to comfort her. Whether or not we were married and whether or not we ever saw each other again, we were eternally bound by our son and that would never change. A few minutes passed and she began to calm down. A nurse's aid entered with a breakfast tray.

"I'll let the nurse know you're awake Mr. Belikov," she said. I nodded.

I turned up my nose at the vile smell coming from underneath the tray. It wasn't that the food was bad, it was just too soon for me to think about eating.

"When is the last time you ate?" I asked knowing that it had been over a day.

"I'm not too hungry," she replied.

"My stomach isn't so good yet, you should eat," I encouraged removing the lid revealing a cup of steaming hot coffee, a carton of milk, oatmeal with fruit, scrambled eggs and some potatoes.

"Are you sure you're not up for it?" she asked.

"I think I best wait until later," I replied remembering the intense vomiting that had occurred just hours ago.

She nodded fixing the coffee with two creams and a sugar like she used to.

"Where is everyone else?" I asked wondering what had become of my sister.

"They went to the hotel to sleep," she said swallowing a spoonful of the oatmeal.

"Why didn't you?" I asked. I knew that Vika wouldn't have left if she had the choice, so I wondered why Rose had stayed. "Shouldn't you be home with your fiancé? It is Christmas after all," I said trying not to sound bitter.

She shook her head. "No, I am with my husband, where I belong," she said her voice shaking as she looked me in the eye.

"I signed the papers Roza," I reminded her.

"I know," she said biting her lip.

"We aren't married anymore," I stated.

"You signed the papers," she said. I nodded wondering if she was having a nervous breakdown.

"I didn't," she whispered.

"You didn't?" I asked in confusion. She had all but pleaded with me for weeks, hell years to sign those damn papers and now she was the one who was hesitating?

She shook her head. "I never belonged to him. My heart has always been yours."

You'd think that after waiting seven years to hear those exact words from her that I would be jumping for joy, but for some reason her words saddened me greatly. It was exactly what I had wanted to hear, only she had betrayed my trust and I couldn't get it out of my mind. I didn't know if I could let her back in just yet. There were so many things to forgive and I wasn't sure I was ready to confront the future.

"I know you're angry about a lot of things and I deserve that. I deserve so much more than anger for the way I've treated you."

"You said you loved him Roza." That wasn't something I could forget.

"I do," she responded and I felt like she'd slapped me in the face.

"But, I am not in love him him," she said emphasizing the word in.

"You slept with him," I said shaking my head in disgust. The thought of his hands on her, the thought of him being with her that way turned my already upset stomach. She hung her head and I knew I was being harsh, but she needed a good dose of reality. She had to know that she couldn't just do something like that and apologize for it later. The world didn't work like that.

"I understand if I've messed up too bad and you don't feel the same way anymore, but I'm hoping that someday you can forgive me." Her eyes were full of hope and I wanted to tell her yes, that I forgave her, sweep her up into my arms and take her back to Baia with me, but things were never as simple as they seemed. My heart was broken from the things she'd done and she needed to know that her actions had consequences. I didn't want to punish her, but I couldn't let her back in right now. She needed to understand the seriousness of the situation before I could even contemplate being with her again.

"I just don't know what to think right now," I told her, my mind full of indecision. She'd hurt me repeatedly and I was finally getting her to admit what I'd been waiting to hear for seven years, but knowing what she did with him just days ago, cheapened it somehow.

She nodded swallowing back tears. "I understand," she whispered. "I will give you some space. I'll be staying at the plaza with Lissa. You can call my cell if you need me," she said quickly gathering her things.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she said leaning down pressing her lips gently against my cheek.

I watched her walk out of the room knowing that I could possibly be making the biggest mistake of my life, but I needed to think.

RPOV

I walked out of his room and didn't make it ten feet before the weight of what I'd done began to crush me. I knew that it was only a matter of time before I had a complete meltdown so I hurried to the elevator wanting to be alone when it happened.I pulled the crinkled piece of paper out of my purse tears falling freely as I took in the sight of his signature on the line. He didn't want me. I had hurt him one too many times and now he couldn't forgive me. Of all the mistakes I'd made in my life and there were many, hurting him was by far the worst. My heart which had been dead for so long had just begun to beat again and now it was like time had stopped and I was right back where I started. Adrian had been my safety net. I had loved him for the good person he was, but I had never been in love with him. I'd known that for a long time. It just took Dimitri coming back into my life for me to realize what true love really felt like and that I wanted it more than anything.

I knew I looked like shit, but I didn't care. I let the cameras flash at me as I hopped into a cab in front of the hospital. Let them take my photo, who cared anymore. I had lost the only man I'd ever loved. There was no turning back now.

"Merry Christmas Rose," I whispered signing my name on the line next to his.

"Where to?" the cab driver asked.

"Fourteenth and fifth," I stated. There was no time like the present to file the paperwork, I thought as we pulled up in front of Tarus law firm. I sealed the envelope and with all the courage I could muster, dropped it through the slot. By this time tomorrow I would be divorced. The thought of that sent me right back over the edge into a barrage of emotions. I was sad that it was over, shocked that he quit fighting, and remorseful that my actions had hurt not only Adrian and Dimitri, but myself as well.

I arrived at the plaza and again there was a plethora of paparazzi waiting outside to attack me as I entered. I paid as little attention as I could and went straight up to Lissa's room.I knocked on the door hoping she was awake. The door opened to a very tired Christian.

"Rose, what is it?" he asked sensing my state of distress.

"Dimitri is fine," I managed.

"Then what happened you've been crying," he asked opening the door wider so I could enter.

"It's over, he signed the papers," I croaked collapsing to the floor in a heap.

"He signed the papers?" he asked in disbelief. I nodded continuing to break down.

"Are you surprised?" he asked helping me over to the couch. I shook my head. He went over to the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of water.

"What's going on?" Lissa asked coming out of the bedroom.

"Oh my God Rose, is Dimitri? Did he…" she trailed off her face becoming ashen.

I shook my head. "He's fine, he just doesn't love me anymore," I sobbed.

"Oh honey," I'm so sorry," she said cradling me in her arms.

I sniffled. "Can I stay here with you for a few days?" I asked.

"Of course you can sweetie. You're paying the bill. What about Adrian?" she asked.

"That's over. I gave him the ring back," I said trying to pull myself together.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Rose, what the hell is going on?" Adrian asked coming into the emergency room waiting area. It was three o'clock in the morning and I should have figured he'd be upset when he figured out I wasn't home and I hadn't been answering his calls. **_

"_**Why were you on the news and whose blood is all over you?" he asked assessing my blood stained scrubs.**_

"_**Can we talk about this privately?" I asked wanting to avoid a confrontation in front of an entire waiting room full of witnesses who would be eager to sell their first-hand account of a very public argument to whatever vultures they could. **_

"_**Okay," he responded, his eyes full of curiosity as he followed me into an empty room. I closed the door behind us trying to stall as long as I could before having to explain myself. **_

"_**What happened? It isn't your blood right?" he asked in concern.**_

_**I shook my head. "No, it isn't." **_

"_**Rose, I need you to talk to me," he said forcing me to look at him. "Someone must have gotten a hold of that file I had Jesse dig up on you. You should hear the rumors that are going around. Talk about blowing things out of proportion," he said running his fingers through his disheveled hair. **_

"_**What are they saying exactly?" I asked wanting to know what he had heard before I confessed the truth. **_

"_**They know about Mikhail and they think he is here with you. They probably think Ivan or Dimitri is him. You know how the press can be. They don't bother to check their facts. They're saying you're still married." I could tell by his demeanor that he was irked by the rumors, but he didn't believe them. He was far too trusting and that is one of the things I loved about him.**_

_**I inhaled sharply. This time they were right. Someone had overheard me at the hotel when I said I was Dimitri's wife. I should be upset that Adrian was going to find out what I 'd done, but instead I was relieved. I couldn't go on living this lie anymore. Even if Dimitri didn't want me and we ended up divorced, I had to let Adrian go. He was a good man and I wasn't being fair to him. I'd known for a long time that I wasn't in love with him the way he was with me and I needed to set him free. He deserved better. **_

"_**Mikhail isn't here," I started. "Dimitri is the one in the hospital. He has food poisoning and last night he was vomiting blood and he had a seizure," I said trying my best not to become too emotional. **_

"_**Is he going to be alright?" Adrian asked sensing my distress. I was a total wreck and I wasn't even trying to hide it. **_

"_**The doctors said he is stable, but they're keeping a close watch on him. He is still unconscious." **_

"_**Maybe we should go home and get some sleep and come back in the morning," he suggested. "You look exhausted." He put his hand on my shoulder trying to coax me towards the door.**_

"_**I can't leave," I said preparing my speech in my head.**_

"_**Rose, you're covered in blood and there's half a waiting room full of his friends out there to keep him company when he wakes up. We can go home and you can wash up and change and get some rest and then we can come back in the morning and bring some breakfast and coffee for your friends.**_

"_**Adrian, the reporters weren't wrong," I said finding the courage to tell him the whole truth.**_

"_**Weren't wrong about what?" he asked looking confused.**_

"_**I am still married," I confessed waiting for his reaction.**_

"_**What?" **_

"_**You saw a marriage certificate, but you didn't see one for a divorce did you?" I asked. **_

"_**I don't understand." **_

"_**I went to Baia right after you proposed because I needed to get the divorce papers signed or we wouldn't be able to get married." I could see he was angry at yet another one of my indiscretions, but he was trying his best to stay calm.**_

"_**So if you went there to get them signed, then why are they saying you are still married and what does that have to do with Dimitri?" **_

"_**He refused to sign them like he has been for the past seven years."  
"For God's sake Rose, why didn't you just tell me that? My lawyers will figure a way around it."**_

"_**The laws in Russia aren't like the ones here Adrian. I needed him to sign it." **_

"_**Well then, let's go back and make him sign it." **_

"_**We don't have to. He signed them last night," I said pulling a piece of paper out of my pocket. I handed it to him. He scrutinized the paper and then looked up at me. **_

"_**Why does this say Dimitri Belikov?" he asked. **_

_**I looked down at the floor. "Because Dimitri is my husband," I said waiting for the explosion.**_

"_**What? That doesn't make sense unless…" he trailed off. **_

"_**My father knew you hired a PI and changed the name on the certificate so you wouldn't figure it out."**_

"_**Why would he do that?" **_

"_**He wanted to give DImitri more time to win me back." **_

"_**You brought him back here with you so you could decide between us?" he asked betrayal lacing his voice. **_

_**I hung my head in shame. "No," I responded. **_

"_**No? Then why is he here Rose?" I remained silent preparing myself for what I was about to do. **_

"_**Answer me! Why is he here?" he demanded grasping me by the shoulders forcing me to look him in the eye.**_

"_**I can't choose between you because I already made my decision a long time ago," I responded tears spilling down my cheeks. **_

"_**I love you Adrian, but I'm not in love with you. You're a really wonderful man, but my heart has always belonged to him. I just couldn't see it until now." He dropped his hands and I could see the affliction in his eyes. The pain was quickly replaced with shock and then ire.**_

"_**Why did you play with me? What was all of this these past few years? Was it a game to you?" he asked his voice low and full of emotion. "Did you get some sort of sick pleasure from toying with me?"**_

"_**No, it wasn't a game. I wanted to move on. I tried so hard to forget my past, but I couldn't. It wasn't because of anything you did. You've been so good to me and I never wanted you to feel like this. If I had met you first, maybe we would have worked out, but that isn't what happened. It isn't your fault." **_

"_**I should have known," he said his anger fading as he perched himself on the edge of the empty hospital bed.**_

"_**How could you have? I lied to you and I'm not proud of it. I wish I could say that this is the lowest thing I've ever done, but it isn't. I abandoned my family. I left my husband when he was grieving for our son. I'm not a good person and you can do better," I said hoping he would eventually realize I was right.**_

"_**You were hurting when I met you. I knew it. I knew that there was someone else. The way you fought me at every turn and kept refusing to get involved with me. I thought you were playing hard to get, but now I see it. You were in pain and I should have stopped pursuing you a long time ago. You know I've never felt like you were truly mine. There was always something there, something I couldn't see or maybe I didn't want to see it. I kept thinking that it would change as soon as we moved in together and then when that feeling didn't disappear I rationalized that it would be better once we were engaged and again it was still there. I just kept hoping it would finally feel right once we were married, but I see now that I was kidding myself. I was trying to make something work that just didn't fit. **_

"_**I am so sorry Adrian. I really do love you and I care about you more than you'll ever know. It was never my intention to hurt you. I only hope that someday you find someone so wonderful that can give you her whole heart the way I never could," I said placing my hand on his cheek. A single tear had escaped his eye and I wiped it away.**_

"_**So what now?" he asked. "Are you going to be with him?" **_

_**I shook my head. "He signed the papers. It's too late." **_

"_**No offense and I know the man is unconscious and isn't here to defend himself, but he's a total idiot if he lets you go," he said taking my hand in his. **_

"_**How could you say that after everything I've done?" I asked wondering how he wasn't mad as a hatter.**_

"_**Because as much as you're breaking my heart right now, I truly am in love with you Rose. I didn't fall in love with you because you're a model or because you're beautiful. I love your kind heart. I love the way you volunteered at the soup kitchen every month and donated the clothes you get to keep from your shoots to agencies that help battered women find jobs. I love that you started the foundation for children with epilepsy. I love how even though you are a celebrity you never act like one. You don't look down on anyone and you truly care for others. You had a troubled past and it affected you profoundly, but you aren't a bad person. Misguided maybe, but there isn't a bad bone in your body," he said bringing my hand to his lips kissing in gently. I only cried harder at the graceful manor in which he was handling my duplicitous behavior.**_

"_**I will have your things boxed up and sent over to Sydney's if you want," he offered. I nodded, not having the heart to tell him about Sydney's role in all of this. **_

"_**Thank you," I said kissing his cheek one last time handing him my engagement ring. He stared at it and then me for a few seconds before making his exit. I sat there for a long time after he left just thinking about how my life was in shambles and how I would begin picking up the pieces for a second time. **_

_**End Flashback**_

**Okay so don't hate me for not making him take her back right away. What she did was deplorable and she needs to realize that no matter how she's hurting, other people's feelings matter. Also, I hated that in Last Sacrifice Adrian was a jerk after they broke up. I always felt that it was an unresolved issue so that is why I made him graceful in this one. Reviews will **


	24. Chapter 24: The Broken Road to Recovery

**Chapter 24: The Broken Road to Recovery**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**My apologies for the late update. The flu has been kicking my ass all week. Stupid fever. I decided to go for it and I pretty much wrapped up the entire story in the next three chapters. How fast I post them depends on you=)**

RPOV

It would have been easier if he'd left without saying goodbye, but that wasn't the kind of man he was. He told me he needed time to process and that he needed to do that back home in Baia. He kissed my forehead, picked up his suitcase and walked away from me. That was nearly one year ago and the last time I'd seen him.

Soon after he left my friends had to go too. They had lives and jobs to get back to. It was I who had nothing to go back to. I had nowhere to live, no friends, my family was halfway across the world and so was the man I loved.

True to his word Adrian had all of my belongings packed up and sent over to Sydney's. In all that had happened I hadn't had a chance to talk to her about where we stood. Baba had assured me over and over that she was a good person and that she and I really had shared a close friendship over the years so a few days after the new year she found me in my sweats alone and miserable standing on her doorstep.

She'd welcomed me with open arms and much to my surprise she'd already unpacked my things and had set me up in the nicest of her spare bedrooms. She had been my rock this past year. I was numb to everything for the first few weeks, but on February third, the divorce papers arrived confirming what I'd already known. The divorce was final and I was no longer Dimitri's wife. That was the day I went over the edge. I stopped eating entirely, I wouldn't come out of my room and sleep never came for me. By Valentine's day I was so weak that Sydney called Adrian to come over and help her take me to the emergency room.

I fought them tooth and nail as they threatened to insert a feeding tube if I didn't cooperate. Less than forty-eight hours after I was admitted against my will, Abe showed up. Sydney had called him and he had come to sign the papers to admit me to a twenty-eight day rehabilitation center. I was livid of course and vowed never to speak to either one of them again, but on the day I was released there they were both waiting for me with smiles on their faces and I couldn't stay angry with them. During my twenty-eight day stay at Tarazov I was mandated to attend nutrition classes, daily therapy, see a grief counselor and join a support group for women who'd lost a child. They agreed to release me on day twenty-eight if I met all of my requirements including reaching one hundred and fifteen pounds.

Thinking back on it that stint in rehab was exactly what I needed to figure out my life. Another condition of my release was that I was required to see the grief counselor once a week for six months and the nutritionist every other week to track my weight and eating habits. I decided to stick with the support group of my own free will and it helped me realize that I wasn't the only one suffering and that as much as I thought I could have done something different, in the end I wasn't to blame. It had taken my nearly eight years, but I had finally forgiven myself for that night.

During the past year I had reevaluated my life. I decided that modeling wasn't right for me, not to mention now that I was 'fat' as Javier deemed it, I was no longer under contract with the agency. I realized that I couldn't have cared less. Modeling wasn't something I wanted to do with my life. I needed a purpose. I had enough money stashed away to live comfortably for more than one lifetime and in addition to that, Adrian had been gracious and insisted I keep the car he bought me along with all of the diamond jewelry and such. He said it wasn't right to take back gifts and I could auction the jewelry for charity if I wanted. I auctioned a few of the items to my favorite charities, kept one or two that were sentimental to me and sent several items to Lissa, Vika and Jill who were beyond thrilled.

I decided that I needed to do something meaningful with my life, but I had no idea what I wanted to do. After careful consideration I decided to get my GED and enroll in some general education classes at NYU. I had successfully completed my first semester of classes and upon receiving my first ever report card that didn't contain a below average mark, Sydney, Mia, Eddie, Adrian and I went out to celebrate.

I guess I should mention that about six months after I was released from rehab, Sydney approached me and explained that over the years, she had developed a little crush on Adrian and that over time it had turned into more. I gave her my full blessing to pursue a relationship and they'd been dating ever since. I was really happy for them and I thought it would be awkward to see them together, but it was like they were always meant to be. Speaking of meant to be, I had been writing letters to Dimitri. The first one was an apology letter. In it I apologized for blaming him for everything that went wrong in my life, I apologized for abandoning him when he needed me the most and for all of the pain and suffering I put him through not just back then, but this past year as well. I was discouraged when I didn't hear back from him after that first letter, but I kept sending them anyway. Some of them did nothing more than give him updates on my life and in some I became rather desperate pleading with him to give me some sign that he had forgiven me, but it never came. I had all but poured my heart and soul into those seventy-three letters and after nearly a year of silence from him, I knew I had to think about moving on with my life as much as it pained me to realize that he really had moved on as well.

It was just after Thanksgiving and my finals were over so I packed my bags, said goodbye to Sydney and boarded a plane for home. I had after all promised Baba I would visit and I hadn't seen him since he left here in March.

"Little girl you're a sight for sore eyes," he said greeting me at the gate. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head.

"Baba you're walking!" I exclaimed.

"That I am," he said smiling widely at me.

"When? How?" I asked.

"They always said I could, I just didn't have reason to until you came back into my life." I hugged him fiercly, so happy that he once again ressembled the intimidating mobster I'd known and loved.I did my best to stay off the radar for my first week back in town. It would be too much for me to take if Dimitri knew I was back and avoided me purposefully.

"Rose, you can't hide in here forever," Mason chastised plopping down on the couch next to me. This was the third day in a row that I'd vegged in front of the television in my pajamas.

"Why not? I'm on vacation," I argued.

"You're avoiding Belikov and you know it," he said shaking his head.

"I am not," I replied indignantly.

"Then why are you laying on the couch watching old westerns wearing one of his flannel shirts?"

"It's comfortable and I don't owe you an explanation," I growled.

"I guess I never pegged you for a chicken," he said grabbing a spoon off the table, dipping it into the carton of ice cream I was hoarding. I shot him a withering look.

"So where is Jill today?" I asked wanting to change the subject.

"She took Micah Christmas shopping. Speaking of Christmas, you are going to the Party this weekend aren't you?"

"Absolutely not," I said.

"Why not?"

"He doesn't want to see me," I responded despairingly.

"Says who?"

"Only and entire year's worth of unanswered letters," I pointed out.

"You know he misses you right?"

"Obviously not," I snorted.

"He does, I can tell."

"How? Did he say something?" I asked perking up a bit.

"Well no, but I can tell."

I slumped back down into the couch.

"How is that?"

"He's been moody and brooding since he came back to Baia. He's also working a lot of overtime. He's barely been home."

"That doesn't say much. Dimitri has always been the brooding type," I scoffed.

"Believe what you want. You're only hurting yourself by staying away."

A few days later Lissa's incessant bugging gave me incentive to leave the confines of the house and venture over to her place. She and Christian had bought a house together a few months ago and she was happy as a clam. She'd Skyped me nearly every day with new questions about fabrics and furniture and paint colors. I probably knew the layout and color scheme of their house better than my own.

"So want to go shopping for party dresses?" she asked as we chatted over a leisurely brunch at one of the only two restaurants that were open for breakfast in town.

I shook my head. "I'm not going," I said.

"The hell you're not!" Viktoria exclaimed coming out of nowhere.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop?" I asked in a serious tone of voice.

"It isn't when you're family," she said plopping down into a chair, grabbing a piece of bacon off my plate.

"It's' good to see you Vika," I said giving her a warm smile and a hug.

"It's good to see too. You look like a million bucks," she said whistling at me. "So has Dimka seen you yet? I'm going to say no because he's still all melancholy and brooding and such, but we can change that. Come home to dinner with me tonight. Mama will be thrilled to see you."

"Thanks for the invite, but I'm really not here to open up any wounds. I'm visiting my family for the holidays is all."

"Silly Roza, you are family and what is that talk about ditching our Christmas party? That so isn't an option."

"Look, I'm not sure Dimitri told you, but we're divorced now," I said holding my breath waiting for her reaction.

"Like anyone around here missed that memo. Dimka was in a foul mood that day and for months after," she said.

"So why hasn't he contacted me then?" I asked. If he missed me so much, why couldn't he have answered one of the dozens of letters I'd sent him?

She shrugged. "Men, you know how stubborn they can be."

"How is Nikolai by the way?" I asked.

"Well I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I have a very good feeling about my Christmas present," she said her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"You really think he's going to propose?" Lissa asked her eyes wide.

"I think so," she squealed.

"Oh Vik, I'm so happy for you," I said squelching the tears that threatened to flow from my eyes. I couldn't even fathom being able to sit through a wedding knowing Dimitri didn't love me anymore.

"So you have to come. I can't get engaged if you aren't there," she said matter of factly.

"Vik, I really think it would be better if I sat this one out."

"No way no how. We are going shopping girl. I need to pick out a dress that goes with that exquisite emerald necklace you sent me. I can't get engaged wearing rags can I? Now come on!" she cried dragging me out of my seat. Lissa threw some money on the table and was right behind us.

DPOV

"I still can't believe you signed the papers," Christian muttered.

"If you say that one more time, I'm going to kill you," I growled. We had been back in Baia for a few weeks and I hadn't heard anything from Rose since I'd left. I did see in the papers that she and Adrian were no longer engaged and that gave me hope that things weren't over between us.

"She didn't sign them. She'll come around. You know how stubborn she is. She'll lick her wounds and in a few weeks she'll be back here begging him to take her back," Ivan said trying to reassure me.

I had thought he was right about her so when I came home one day to find a large envelope from Tarus law firm on my front porch I nearly had a heart attack.

"What are those?" Mama asked as she walked up the front walk with a bag full of groceries in her hand.

I gulped before tearing them folder open. As I read the papers I felt like someone had socked me right in the gut. I fell to my knees in the middle of the snow covered porch.

"She signed them," I breathed almost not believing the words I was reading.

"Rose signed the divorce papers."

"What?" Mama gasped.

"It's official. I'm single," I said still dumbfounded by the papers in my hand.

"But Dimka, I don't understand. She knows how you feel about her and you know how she feels about you. What possessed you to sign those?' she asked helping me to my feet.

I shook my head. "It was a moment of weakness and stupidity."

"Call her," she said holding out my phone.

"No, she needs to come to me. She knows that," I said wearily setting the papers on the counter, pouring myself a glass of vodka.

Days passed and days turned into weeks and soon it was the end of March and time for me to go back to work and still I'd heard nothing from her. Not one e-mail, call, text or piece of mail. I guess she truly was done with me.

"What are you doing?" Sonya asked one day as I was packing my things. She'd taken to visiting with me in the evenings to keep me company when I was home.

"I'm moving into a small flat in Novosibirsk for a while so I can be closer to work. Can you get my mail and things and bring them to Mama's? I'll come home on the weekends I'm not working." She nodded hugging me tightly.

"You're better off without her Dimka. You need to move on," she said. I knew in a way she was right, but damn it, a part of me would not let her go. So for the next seven months I lived and breathed work. I took overtime and weekend hours and before I knew it, it was fall and work was done for the year.

I decided not to move back to the house right away. I needed to erase the memories of her there and at the end of October, I decided to put it up for sale. I couldn't live there anymore. It wasn't my home without her. Of course in the bad economy I hadn't gotten any hits yet, but I hoped to get rid of it before the New Year.

It was nearing the middle of December and of course everyone around the house was getting ready for the annual Belikov Christmas party. I myself was looking for any excuse to get out of going. Of course Mama wouldn't hear of it and so as I returned from the store with a trunk full of food and beverages my phone rang.

"Belikov," I rasped into the phone not in the mood to talk to anyone.

"Dimitri it's Robert, I've got some good news." Robert Doru was my realtor or rather the only realtor in town.

"What is it? Did we get an offer?" I asked. I knew it was probably low if he did get one, but I'd sell it for a dollar just to get rid of it at this point. It wasn't worth the pain and suffering holding onto it had caused me. All I could think about when I looked inside was Rose and I last Christmas, her in the kitchen making kutya wearing my flannel shirt, her and I snuggled on the couch in front of the fire after almost making love the night the heat went out and her and I fighting in the snow in front of the house. It was too much for me.

"You got an offer for your full asking price," he said.

"Really?" I asked quite surprised.

"Yes, but there's a catch."

"I see and what would that be?" I asked knowing it was too good to be true.

"The new owner wants to move in this weekend and wants to buy all the furniture."

Now that was odd. Not only did I not have great taste in furnishings, but most of the stuff I had was mismatched and old.

"Including the beds?" I asked wondering what kind of person wanted to sleep in someone else's used bed?

"Everything, including knickknacks and dishes. They're willing to pay for it."

"How much?"

"Name your price. All they want is the key as soon as the papers are signed.

"I suppose I could have things out by tomorrow if that's what they want."

"Okay then. How much should I tell them you want for the contents?

"I don't know, five hundred," I said. It wasn't even worth that much.

"For everything? I was thinking more along the lines of ten thousand,"

"For my old shit?" I asked.

"Sure, the buyer is impatient and has money, ask and you shall receive."

"Okay then, ten thousand," I said hanging up the phone.

"Who was that?" Sonya asked.

"My realtor. Someone offered full asking price on the house plus ten-thousand for the contents."

"Who would want your ugly ass stuff?" Vika asked joining us in the living room.

I shrugged. "Who cares. It's time I got rid of it. I have to go over there now and start getting my stuff out. The new owner wants possession as soon as possible.

"Are you really moving to Novosibirsk?" Mama asked.

I nodded. "I need to be away from here and start over," I told her. "Besides it is closer to work. You know I'll visit," I told her.

"I know Dimka, I just didn't think it would sell so fast. It is old and unkempt."

"I guess that doesn't matter to the new owner."

It took me only three hours to box up what little clothing I had left there and take some of the more personal items like family photos. I paused in front of the bedroom mirror taking the photos out one at a time. When I got to the last one, I couldn't bear to take it with me so I left it in the corner of the mirror. The next owner could do what he wished with it, but I didn't need any more reminders of what I'd lost. I left a note on the garage saying I would be back to pick up some of my tools that wouldn't fit in my truck and gave one last look at the house that used to hold my heart before driving away.

The weekend came and Mama had kept me so busy that I never did get back over to pick up my tools. The deed to the house had been signed over and it was no longer my property. Robert assured me that the new owner was fine with me stopping by later in the week to get my tools.

As I readied myself for what was sure to be a very long night, I wondered who on Earth would have agreed to pay ten thousand dollars for my things. They really weren't worth anything.

I had only been back in town a few days and my entire family was acting strange. When I told Sonya I was going to the grocery store for Mama, she insisted I go to the one two towns over because they had better liquor. When I asked Vika who she had gone shopping with to buy her new dress, she'd clammed up and insisted that she ordered it online and Christian hadn't returned any of my calls asking him if he wanted to head up to the bar with Ivan and I last night. In fact, Ivan was making himself scarce as well. I knew he would be at the party tonight and I was going to question him on his odd behavior.

RPOV

"You're really not coming?" Lissa asked for the umpteenth time.

"I'm really not," I told her putting the finishing touches on her lipstick.

"Blot,"I said holding out a tissue.

"You're just going to stay home alone, while the rest of us are out having fun?" she pouted putting her hands on her hips.

"That's okay. I have Ben and Jerry to keep me company," I said looking down at my now much wider hips.

"Fine, but if Dimitri asks about you, I'm not going to lie," she said.

"He won't ask. He's moved on," I said sadly, wishing it were anything but true. Alas, I knew it was the case because upon passing by our house or what used to be our house last week, I saw a for sale sign propped up on the front porch. My heart caught in my throat. If he was selling our house, then there really wasn't any hope for us left. Still, I knew it was masochistic, but I couldn't just stand by and watch someone else move into the home we shared and the only place our son had every known, so I had my lawyers contact the realtor and put in a bid for asking price anonymously. He accepted my bid and it only cost another ten grand to purchase it as is contents included.

I'd received the keys this morning and decided that tonight, while everyone else was at the party, I would go to the house and say my goodbyes. Although I couldn't fathom anyone else living there, I couldn't see myself ever feeling strong enough to live there myself. I would hire someone to keep the place up and clean, but I wouldn't change anything. I wanted to remember it just the way it had always been, mismatched furniture and all. Lissa left and despite the urging from my family, I declined accompanying them as well. It was freezing, but I decided I didn't want to borrow Baba's car so I walked to mile down the slick roads in my sensible snow boots enjoying the burning in my lungs from the frigid air.

I turned the key in the lock and shook the snow off my boots before flipping on the lights and stepping inside. Nothing had changed and for that I was thankful. The heat seemed to be off so I decided to build a fire so I could stay a while and soak in all the memories one last time.

I noticed that while the furnishings, wall décor and appliances remained, what made this house a home was gone. All of the photographs were missing from the mantle, Dimitri's coat was not on the hook his heavy combat boots were not sitting by the door. There weren't empty food containers or beer bottle lining the counter, from when he and Ivan had gone out drinking and come home late. Most of all, this house wasn't a home anymore because the family who lived here wasn't a family anymore. A tear slipped silently down my cheek as I plucked the last remaining remnant of our lives from the corner of the mirror. It was one of Dimitri and I taken the first day we met. The photo was supposed to be of Dimitri and Viktoria. It was my first day in a Russian school and I was standing next to him in line. He had folded the photograph so that instead of being a picture of him and Vika, it was one of him with me standing awkwardly to his left, captured there by mistake. I had never seen it before, but I surely remembered that day like it was yesterday.

_**Flashback**_

_**I was standing on the playground of my new school. Baba had dropped me and Mason off and it was scary to be in a new country and a new school, where I didn't speak the language very well. We had begun Russian lessons a few months ago, but everyone here spoke so quickly that I couldn't catch onto what they were saying and it scared me. **_

_**Mason had to go line up with the big kids and he left me standing next to a very tall stranger. I was scared until he turned around and spoke to me. I didn't understand his words at first and he looked at me funny when I didn't answer him back. **_

_**He said something again and I burst into tears. He called for a woman who must be his mother. She had been taking photos of him and the younger girl standing next to him. **_

_**The nice woman spoke to me again in Russian and I only recognized the word for lost. I began speaking rapidly in Turkish knowing full well that she wouldn't understand me, but to my surprise she smiled at me and responded in slightly broken Turkish. **_

_**She asked me where I was from and I told her Istanbul. She then asked me if I spoke Russian. I shook my head no. **_

"_**English?" she tried and I shook my head yes. I did speak a little bit of English. **_

"_**That's wonderful. Dimka, my son, he speaks English too. Dimka, help her out today!" she told him, leaving us alone.**_

"_**I'm Dimitri," he said turning towards me.  
"I'm Rose," I said. One look at his beautiful brown eyes and I was a goner. I knew right then and there that we would be connected for life. **_

"_**Don't worry Roza, I will take care of you," he said, taking my hand and leading me into the school. **_

_**End Flashback**_

I brushed away the tears that fell freely now as I realized that it was truly over between us and as much as I didn't want it to be true, it was.

**Wow that was emotional! So they are divorced, he is moving to Novosibirsk and she can't part with the house. What happened to all those letters she wrote him? Do you think that their separation was necessary and why? Reviews make me post faster and I guarantee I will post the chapter we've all been waiting for by the end of the weekend if I get a good response to this one. **


	25. Chapter 25: Our House

**Chapter 25: Our House**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**Without further delay… the chapter we've all been waiting for… Enjoy=)**

DPOV

Just as I thought, the party brought me nothing but memories of her last year. As I looked around at all my friends talking and laughing with their husbands and wives and various significant others, my heart ached. Even Tasha had met someone. Ivan had as well which was why I hadn't seen much of him since I returned from Novosibirsk. Her name was Avery and they were the perfect match. Christian had Lissa, Vika had Nikolai and Mason had Jill. I was once again left standing on the outside looking in.

A little after ten, I decided I'd had played enough happy family for tonight and thought it would be as good a time as any to head over and get my tools from the garage. Surely the new owner hadn't had time to move in between this morning and now. Even so, I couldn't stay here, it was too painful. I missed Rose in the worst way and deeply regretted not taking her back the moment she confessed her love for me last year. Really I had been an idiot thinking I needed to prove something to her. I wanted to go back in time and run to her like I should have. I'd let my pride get in the way and all it did was put me right back to where I was before she came back into my life, which was miserable.

I reached the house and began placing the rest of my tools into my truck bed. When I was finished, I realized I couldn't leave behind the photo in the bedroom. The house was dark and there were no signs that a car had been here today so I took my chances and let myself in the back door. I headed straight for the bedroom, but stopped short when I realized that a fire was burning in the fireplace and that I wasn't alone. Someone was asleep on the couch wrapped up in the covers from my bed. I guess the new owner really was eager to move in.

I crept stealthily to the bedroom intending to retrieve the photo, but was disgruntled to find that it was missing. The owner must have taken it. Why toss a photo, but curl up in my bed sheets? That was an odd combination. As I turned to leave the bedroom, I fumbled in the blackness and tripped over the uneven floor. I sucked in a breath of air praying that they hadn't heard me. All I needed was for them to have a shot gun under their pillow and I was done for.

"Who's there?" a voice called from the living room. The voice was distinctly female. I decided it was better to show myself and be honest about why I was prowling in her house than to try and escape and have her call the police or worse, have her husband come home and shoot me.

"I'm sorry. My name is Dimitri Belikov. Up until today, this was my house and I was just retrieving one last personal item. I was unaware that anyone had moved in," I said coming out into view with my hands up in surrender.

"I didn't mean to scare you," I said after receiving no response. She was sitting up facing the fire so I couldn't see her face.

"It's okay. Did you find what you were looking for?" she asked still not turning around.

I shook my head. "No, what I'm looking for is gone." It has been for a long time, I added silently.

I was about to leave, but something about her silhouette against the glow of the fire intrigued me.

"Are you new in town?" I asked coming closer. I knew I was taking my chances, but at this point what did I have to lose? She shook her head in negation.

"Well I am sorry for intruding. You didn't happen to come across a photograph in the bedroom did you?" I asked.

She was silent again and I wondered if there was something wrong with her.

"I haven't seen this one before. I remember the day it was taken and how safe I felt when you took my hand," she said. I noticed she was holding the photo in her hands.

"Yes, that was a good day," I said remembering how my heart jumped the first time I looked into her eyes. Wait what?

"Roza?" Her name escaped my lips, but my feet were paralyzed keeping me frozen where I stood. She turned to face me and for the first time, her features became clear. She smiled sadly at me as she rose to her feet. "Sorry Comrade, you can have it back," she said holding out the photo.

"What are you doing here? I sold the house," I asked wondering why I cared. She was here and that was all that mattered. I gaped at her openly, afraid that if I blinked she would disappear having been a figment of my imagination.

"I know, I saw the for sale sign last week," she said.

"You've been here a week?" I asked. Why the hell didn't I know this? It was a small town and everyone knew everyone else's business, yet I had missed her being her for a week?

"More like two," she corrected me. She flipped on the lamp and I got a good look at her for the first time in over a year and my God, she was breathtaking. Her cheeks had filled out and had color again, her hair was wild and curly, the way I liked it and she looked to have put on some of the weight she'd lost bringing back the curves to her figure. She held out the photo for me again and this time, I forced my legs to move.

"How have you been?" I asked, kicking myself for not thinking of something better to say.

She shrugged. "I'm doing alright."

"Well you look good," I said restraining from reaching out and touching her the way my body was aching to.

"So do you," she said. We stood there for a few minutes in awkward silence. It was odd because we had never had trouble finding things to say to each other before. Granted a lot of what we said was bickering, but still, this lack of words was disheartening.

"So, uh I guess we should go. New owners and all," I said. "Do you want to grab a cup of coffee?"

"I could make some," she said gesturing towards the kitchen.

"I really don't think that's a good idea. I handed over the keys this morning, I shouldn't even be here," I said.

"Come on Comrade, live dangerously," she teased in true Rose fashion.

I followed her into the kitchen. She was reaching up high for the canister of coffee and I decided it was now or never. I came up behind her and put my hand over hers as she went to open the cabinet. She spun around to face me, a stray strand of hair falling across her eyes.

"Why didn't you write me?" she asked, her voice strangled.

"I was waiting for you," I said. "I needed to know that you regretted your actions."

"I've done nothing this past year, but tell you how remorseful I am," she argued.

"Tell me? Tell me how? I haven't heard a single word from you in almost a year. What did you want me to do Rose? You tell me you love me and then I come home to find finalized divorce papers with your signature on them. What was that supposed to tell me?" I cried.

"Not those, that was a mistake," she said.

"Then what? You knew how to reach me, but you didn't. What was I supposed to think all this time? You didn't even try and fight for us Rose." I said grabbing her wrists.

"I poured my heart and soul out to you. What do you mean, I didn't try? I opened up to you about so many things! Do you know how much it hurt, when I never heard back from you after I pleaded with you to forgive me?" she cried not making a move to disentangle herself from my grip.

"What? When did you try? You could have picked up the phone Rose."

"I was scared, but everything I was feeling, I wrote in those letters," she said. "You could have just told me to stop instead of allowing me to continue to humiliate myself by sending them every week."

"Letters? What letters? I never got any letters," I said wondering what the hell she was talking about.

"That's low even for you," she cried. "I sent you seventy-three letters over the last nine months and you're saying that not one of them reached your mailbox? I find that hard to believe," she snorted.

"No, Rose, I didn't get them. I've been living in Novosibirsk."

"Didn't you have your mail forwarded?" she asked, like I was an idiot or something.

"No, I had Sonya bring it to Mama's," I trailed off. Oh what and idiot I had been. Of course I didn't get her letters and I knew exactly who was behind it.  
"Damn it Sonya, "I cried. "I should have known," I said putting my head in my hands.

"You really think she stole your letters?" she asked, her voice softening.

"One way to find out," I said. "Are you game?"

She nodded taking my outstretched hand.

"Wait, one thing before we go," I said stopping us in our tracks.

"What?" she asked.

Instead of answering her, I bent down attaching my lips to hers, kissing her with all the passion and love in my heart. She responded back eagerly opening her mouth allowing me access as she wound her arms around my neck. My hands tangled in her hair pulling her as close to me as humanly possible. There was no way in hell I was ever letting her go again.

"Comrade, I hate to break this up, especially because I've been waiting for this all year, but if we don't go now, I won't be able to stop what happens next," she said, her voice low and sultry.

"Sonya can wait. I need you right now," I breathed against her ear as I lifted her off the ground heading for the bedroom.

"Tell me you love me," she whispered.

"I have always loved you, Milaya. There has never been and will never be anyone I want or love more than you," I said taking care as I unbuttoned her shirt, one button at a time easing it over her shoulders as I caressed the once familiar swell of her breasts and curve of her hips. She bit her lip, throwing her head back in ecstasy and I continued to refamiliarize myself with her body. I had waited so long for this moment and I wasn't going to rush it. I wanted to take my time and enjoy loving her, the way I had the very first time.

I woke as the bright daylight filtered into the room. For a moment, I forgot what I was doing here, but as she stirred beside me, I reveled in the feeling of waking up next to the woman I loved. I pulled her closer to me burying my face in her hair my arms coiled around her waist holding her hostage. I was never ever letting her leave again. After last night, there was no doubt in my mind that she loved me. She had given me everything and the way we connected both physically and emotionally had brought us both to tears. We lay for a long time before falling asleep just gazing into each other's souls. Few words were exchanged, but I had never been more sure of anything than I was of our love in that moment.

She stirred again, this time her eyes fluttering open.

"Good morning,"I said brushing her hair back so I could see her beautiful face.

"Dobre utro," she responded snuggling closer to me resting her head on my chest.

I hated to have to bring up the obvious, but it was nearly ten o'clock and I had no idea when the new owners would be showing up and I did not want our reunion to be spoiled by having them catch us in bed.

"We should really get out of here before the new owner's show up," I said making a move to sit up.

"They won't mind us being here," she said pulling me back down beside her.

"Roza, I think we should get dressed and continue this somewhere more private," I said pulling her into a sitting position with me this time.

"What could be more private than our bedroom?" she asked rubbing her eyes sleepily.

I sighed realizing that selling our house had been another one of my many mistakes.

"It isn't our house anymore Milaya," I said kissing her forehead.

"Sure it is," she insisted burrowing back under the covers.

"I sold the house Roza. I wish I hadn't, but it isn't ours anymore and we are trespassing."

"I know you sold it. I'm the one who bought it," she said peeking out from under the covers.

"You bought it?" I asked dumbfounded.

She nodded. "I couldn't bear the thought of another family living here. This is our house," she said.

"You bought the house?" I asked still not believing I'd heard her correctly.

"Who else would pay ten grand for your crappy taste in furniture?" she asked. "I can't believe you asked for that much."

"I didn't. It was my realtor. I would have sold it for a dollar," I said.

"That's all our memories meant to you?" she asked pouting.

I shook my head. "No, but when I thought you didn't love me, I had to get rid of everything that reminded me of you," I explained.

"I really wish you would have gotten my letters," she said sadly. "We have a lot to talk about."

"I know we do and we are going to start by interrogating my sister," I said.

"Could we wait just a little longer?" she asked. "I'm starving," she said her stomach rumbling on cue.

I smiled brightly at her as I placed my hand over her belly.

"We didn't protect ourselves last night," I said hoping she wouldn't contradict me.

She shrugged. "Does that scare you?" she asked.

"Not in the least, but I thought you said that you didn't want any more children," I said looking deep into her eyes.

"I'm not that girl anymore. I wasted so much time being afraid and weak, but that isn't who I want to be anymore. I want to live every day of my life to the fullest with you and any future children we might have. If that's okay with you," she added.

"That is more than okay with me in fact, I don't want to live another moment of my life without you by my side."

"I was hoping you'd say that," she said leaning over to kiss me. My arms tightened around her waist and it was another hour before we managed to make it to the kitchen for breakfast.

"So how exactly are we going to get her to confess?" she asked as she stuffed down the French toast I made for her. It was good to see her healthy and eating normal for a change. I was so glad that she had gotten well despite my absence.

"I have a few ideas," I said with a smirk. I was going to need Viktoria's help so I texted her to meet me here in an hour.

"What was in your letters?" I asked as we washed the dishes together.

"Everything," she said not elaborating. "I could try to explain, but it's been one hell of a year."

"It has for me too," I responded.

"So you moved huh?" she asked.

"I couldn't stay here. It's also closer to work." I realized that in our blissfully happy time together last night and this morning that we really did have a lot to work out. We were no longer married. She lived in New York and I lived here. Neither of our families knew we were back together. Would we get remarried right away or would she want to wait? So many questions were swirling around in my head.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked placing her hand over mine.

"Just how different our lives are and how we're going to assimilate."

She smiled. "It will all work out," she said smiling before kissing me senseless. Just as clothing was about to come off again, there was a knock at the door.

"Dimka?" Viktoria called as she let herself in.

"In the kitchen Vika," I called as Rose scampered off to put on some clothes.

"Dimka, what are you doing here? I thought you sold the house," she asked walking into the kitchen.

"I thought I did too, but it turns out I'm sleeping with the new owner," I told her with a wink.

"What? You're involved with someone? How can that be? Roza is here. She still wants you. I was going to let her come to you in her own time, but now I see I'm too late. Oh Dimka, what have you done?" she cried.

"Relax Vika. I think Rose would be okay with it," I said stifling a laugh.

"Really she'd be okay with you sleeping with the woman who bought your house. I find that hard to believe," she snorted.

"Not if that person is me," Rose said coming out of the bedroom wearing nothing, but my shirt and her bare feet.

Vika's eyes bugged out of her head and she squealed. "You guys are back together? OMG I need to call everyone I've ever met!" she cried.

"Wait Vika, no!" we both cried causing her to flinch.

"You're not back together?" she asked her face falling.

"We are, but we need your help," I said explaining about the letters.

"Wow, I know Sonya can be a bitch, but wow, this is just unbelievable," she mused.

"So you'll help us?" I asked.

"Sure, what do you want me to do?"

"Just get her out of the house for a few hours while we search her things."

"No problem, she deserves whatever she gets for this."

"So did it happen last night?" Rose asked looking at my sister with a half smile.

"No, but I think it will be soon," she said smiling back.

"I should go home and shower and change," Rose said looking at the sorry state of her rumpled clothes from last night.

"Don't," I said, afraid that if I let her out of my sight that all of this would have been a dream.

"I'm not going anywhere. I love you and nothing is going to get in the way of us being together, not even your bitchy sister," she said pecking my lips.

"I'll meet you there in an hour," she said as I reluctantly dropped her back at Abe's. This was so going to be the longest hour of my life.

RPOV

"Where were you last night little girl?" Abe asked staring up at me from his newspaper as he sipped his afternoon tea. I blushed profusely having been caught by my father doing the walk of shame still in my clothing from last night.

"Just out," I said not wanting to explain just yet.

"I wondered where Belikov snuck off too last night," he said winking at me.

"Baba," I groaned shaking my head.

"I'm glad to see things are finally as they should be," he replied. I should have known he would know. He was very intuitive that father of mine.

After taking a nice hot shower flashing back to every last sensual touch and kiss from last night and this morning, I needed to turn the water to cold so I could make it through the next few hours of searching Sonya's stuff without jumping his bones. I was angry with her, but I was angrier with myself. If I hadn't been such a coward, I might have picked up the phone and saved us both a year of heartache and pain.

"Sorry I'm late," I said as I climbed into his waiting truck. Of course he hadn't let me walk over there and had been waiting for me outside probably for the last half hour. That was Dimitri for you and I loved every impatient part of him.

"It's okay, I missed you though," he said pulling in for a long slow kiss.

"Ugh Comrade, stop it or I'm going to need another cold shower," I groaned.

"I'm glad to see I still have that effect on you," he grinned, putting the truck in drive.

"Where is everyone?" I asked wondering how he'd cleared out the rest of the family.

"Mama and Karo took the kids to the movies and you know Babushka is lurking."

"So where do we start?" I asked.

"They have to be in her room, assuming she didn't burn them."

My shoulders slumped. "If she burned them, then there's no proof."

"Proof of what?" he asked.

"That I wrote them."

"Roza, there is no doubt in my mind that you wrote them. I trust you. I want to read them because they are important to you and I need to find them so that I can force my sister to confess. I don't need proof that you wrote them. I'm so stupid to have not figured that my sister was somehow involved in my not hearing from you for all those months."

"She did let you get the divorce papers," I muttered.

"That was the worst day of my life. I really thought it was over," he sighed.

"You and I will never be over Comrade. Our story may have been on hiatus, but it's just beginning."

"I am so happy to hear you say that," he said kissing me softly.

"I don't know where they could be. We've looked everywhere," I cried in exasperation.

"She must have burned them or threw them out."

"I guess," he said sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"Wait, did you hear that?" I asked.

"What?"

"That crinkling sound. Move," I commanded, lifting up her mattress. There underneath were five bundles of unopened letters all addressed to Dimitri in my handwriting.

He shook his head. "I was really hoping there was another explanation," he said removing the bundled letters from the springs in the mattress.

"I know you were," I said.

We texted Vika to bring Sonya back and it was just dumb luck that Olena decided to return with Karo and the kids at the same time.

"What is she doing here?" Sonya asked rudely upon spotting us together.

"I don't know Sonya, what is she doing here? I haven't heard from her in nearly a year and then she just shows up. Isn't that odd?" Dimitri asked.

Olena's eyes flipped between Dimitri and Sonya and then Dimitri and I. She smiled brightly at the sight of our interwined hands.

"Dimka, what aren't you telling us?" she asked.

"I don't know. Why don't you ask Sonya?"

"Why would I know anything? I'm not your keeper."

"Gee, I don't know, maybe you'd know why we found all of the letters I wrote Dimitri stuffed under your mattress?" I said holding them up for her to see.

"Is that true Sonya? Did you take his letters?" Olena asked in disbelief.

She shrugged indignantly. "So what? I stole his mail. He was better off with her gone anyway," she said.

"That was not your decision to make. You cost me an entire year with her Sonya," he growled.

"What is wrong with you?" Karolina interjected. "Why would you do something so hurtful? You know he moved to Novosibirsk because he couldn't stand to be here."

"You took him away from our family out of spite. That is terrible Sonya," Olena said disapprovingly.

"Why is it always me that gets dumped on? She's the bitch who cheated on him, treated him like dirt and abandoned all of us. Why can't you see that?" she cried.

"Sonya, I'm sorry for those things. I had my reasons and they were not the best. I've spend the last year paying for my mistakes and trying to atone for them. I love Dimitri and it took us a long time to be able to get to the place we're in now so we can be together. You have to accept that. It isn't fair to keep punishing me."

"I just don't like seeing my brother so unhappy," she argued.

"Do I look unhappy now?" he asked pulling me closer to him.

"No, but it's only a matter of time before she does something else to hurt you," she muttered.

"That isn't true and even if it is, it still isn't your decision to make. Roza and I belong together and nothing is going to keep us apart," Dimitri said looking deep into my eyes as he said it.

"You mean that Comrade?" I asked.

"With everything in my heart," he said sweeping me into a passionate embrace.

**Aww, what a happy ending=) Don't worry, there will be an Epilogue coming soon. Leave me some love=)**


	26. Epilogue 1: Getting it Right

**Epilogue 1: Getting it Right**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

DPOV

It took me two weeks to read all seventy-three letters and in the end I realized that it may not have been a pleasant year, but it was necessary for us to be apart. Rose had made so many changes in her life that were influenced by my absence. She'd gone to rehab, joined a support group, quit her job went back to school and had finally acknowledged that she wasn't responsible for our son's death any more than I was. I was so very proud of all of her accomplishments, but a little sad that I hadn't been there for her while she was hurting. She reassured me constantly that it was for the best and that it had taken her losing me to make her realize that something had to change.

In the months that followed Rose transferred to Novosibirsk State University and we kept my small flat so I could remain close to work. She decided she wanted to pursue a degree in psychology. She really wanted to help people and I couldn't have agreed more with her choice. Of course our families were beyond thrilled that we were together and kept asking me when I was going to propose. The truth was that we were happy. We'd talked a lot about what we wanted for the future and we weren't in a hurry.

Six months after we reunited Vika and Nikolai got married followed closely by Christian and Lissa and much to my surprised Ivan and Avery. It was after flying to New York to attend Adrian and Sydney's wedding that I began to get antsy to make it legal between Rose and I. She had just finished up her last semester of school and was looking into internships and I had been promoted again. It seemed silly that we were still living in our one bedroom flat so I made a decision. I was going to propose to Rose on Valentine's Day which was three days from now.

I decided to enlist Lissa's help in choosing a ring. The first time I had no clue as to what she would like and I know she wasn't fond of the tiny diamond I could afford or rather couldn't at the time.

"So you're finally proposing huh?" Christian asked.

"It's about damn time. You aren't getting any younger," Lissa chastised.

"I'd hardly call thirty over the hill," I chuckled.

"I know, but still. You guys have been back together forever. I always assumed you guys would just elope or something."

I shook my head. "I don't want to elope. I want Rose to have the wedding of her dreams. God knows our last one was a disaster."

I ended up choosing an antique setting that had many sparkling diamonds that made up a flower. I was nervous because even though I had a somewhat larger budget than the last time, it was nothing compared to the five carat diamond that Adrian had given her.

"Don't worry so much. Rose loves you and she'll love the ring," Lissa assured me.

Soon it was Friday and I'd planned a special night for the two of us. I was going to take her to the zoo and propose in front of the polar bears which were her favorites. It would be cold, but romantic. I wasn't working so we both slept in.

"Roza, wake up. It's Valentine's Day," I said running my hands over her shoulders and down to her hips placing gentle kisses on the back of her neck. She shivered and snuggled closer to me.

"Let's stay in bed all day," she groaned.

"Are you sure? I thought maybe we could go to the zoo," I said trying to entice her out from under the warm covers.

She gave me a strange look. "The zoo? You do realize it's February don't you?" she asked not seeming impressed.

"Sure, but you love the zoo. We haven't spent a lot of time together lately. You've been busy looking for internships and I've been planning some new projects, but I thought we could spend the day together."

"We can, but maybe we can just stay home in bed," she said giving me a hopeful look. I sighed not wanting to force the idea if she didn't want to go.

"Okay, what if we stay in bed for a while and then maybe later we can do something," I suggested.

She mumbled something along the lines of we'll see and went back to sleep. Noon came and went and she didn't stir. I busied myself around the apartment trying to wait patiently, but by one o'clock I was sure something was wrong.

"Roza, are you feeling okay?"I asked feeling her head as she finally began to wake up.

"Not really," she said sitting up slowly.

"Do you have a fever?" I asked feeling her forehead.

"No, it isn't that," she said looking apprehensive.

"What is it? Do you want me to call the doctor?"

"No, Dimitri it's okay. I'll be fine," she insisted.

"Do you want some breakfast?

"Ugh, no," she said wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Is it your stomach that is upset?"

She nodded.

Before I could offer to get her some tea and crackers, she took my hands in hers.

"I want to give you your Valentine gift right now," she said.

"Are you sure? We don't have to do that now if you don't want. We can wait until you are feeling better," I said. I wanted this proposal to be romantic. I didn't want to rush it.

"No, if I don't give it to you now, I will lose my nerve," she said. I stared at her curiously wondering what it could be. She took a deep breath and patted the bed next to her pulling a card out of the nightstand. I took a seat next to her and took the card from her outstretched hand.

"Open it," she encouraged.

I tore open the card, but instead of a card, I pulled out a sonogram. My jaw dropped as I looked at her in awe.

"We're?" I stuttered.

She nodded biting her lip. "We're having a baby," she said, forming the words that my lips couldn't.

"We're having a baby," I repeated dumbly.

"Are you okay?" she asked with concern. "Are you not happy?"

"What? No, I'm so happy Roza. It's just that this is just well, unbelievable," I said. We hadn't been using protection for four years and it hadn't happened. Now of all times, just when I had gotten the nerve to ask her to marry me again it happens. What dumb luck, not that I wasn't thrilled. I wanted this more than anything it's just that the timing really was unbelievable.

"It took a while, but I wouldn't say unbelievable," she said misconstruing the meaning behind my words.

"No, oh Roza, it's just that I wanted this time to be different, but it seems it's going to be the same," I said shaking my head.

"What do you mean?" she asked quizzically.

"It just means that I wanted to give you this before we got pregnant so you'd know that it wasn't the reason," I said pinching the bridge of my nose before pulling the ring box from my pocket. Her eyes widened as I got down on one knee.

"Marry me Roza, not because you're carrying my child, but because of the four wonderful years we've spent since we reunited," I said looking into her eyes.

"You know my answer is yes," she replied excitedly holding out her hand for me to slip the ring on there.

My hands shook as I slid it onto the correct finger.

"You mean it? You want this?" I asked in elation.

"Of course I do. Were you really worried I'd say no just because of the baby?"

"Well that is what happened the last time," I said sheepishly, relieved that I had finally gotten something right even if it wasn't very romantic.

"I think we've both proved that this time is different," she said smiling as she admired her ring sparkling in the sunlight.

"Indeed it is," I said leaning in to capture her lips with mine.

"I can't wait to be Mrs. Dimitri Belikov again."

"I love the sound of that," I told her as we lay in bed. As it turned out spending the entire day in bed with her was a far better choice than going to the zoo.

"Should we tell them about the engagement first or the baby?" she asked. We had finally gotten up and I was now making us a very late breakfast.

"That would be up to you. I don't think Abe will be waiting with his switchblade this time," I chuckled.

She smiled again and I couldn't help beaming back at her. This was the day I had been craving since the first time I told her I loved her all those years ago. The way she had accepted my proposal eagerly and with excitement was what I had wanted the first time.

"Well, I guess engagement first since I still have four more weeks until it is safe to tell people," she said munching on a piece of toast.

"You know as soon as you tell Mama and Vika we're engaged, they're going to start harassing us to plan a wedding," I stated. "Is that okay with you or would you prefer to wait until after the baby is born?" I didn't know if she would want to be pregnant at our second wedding. I would wait if that is what she wanted, but selfishly, I was hoping she wouldn't want to wait. She thought for a moment before answering.

"It doesn't matter to me. I just want to be your wife whenever and wherever. I think I'd rather do it sooner than later though. You know what a cow I was last time," she said patting her still flat belly.

"You were never a cow Roza," I told her. In the four years we'd been back together she had continued to struggle with her eating disorder. For the most part she was in remission and never had a complete relapse, but there were times when she would fall back into old habits. Even though she was good most of the time, it was never really gone, just dormant or so her doctors said. Although we hadn't been trying to conceive it was apparent that her condition affected our fertility after a year of us being together without consequence. I knew she felt guilty about it and that caused her to relapse from time to time. I avoided bringing it up for as long as I could, but eventually we had to talk about it. We made it through with a little counseling , a lot of love and an open line of communication.

"Whatever you say, but I think I'd like to do it before I have to buy a maternity dress."

"You will look beautiful either way," I said kissing her cheek.

RPOV

I had been waiting for the right time to tell Dimitri I was pregnant, but I was nervous that he would become overprotective and I didn't blame him. I had been doing really well since rehab, but as with any disease, there were times that it reared its ugly head. I didn't slip below the one hundred and fifteen pound mark, but I'd teetered on the edge more than once.

I didn't want to tell Dimitri right away because things between us were going really well, but even though I was at a somewhat healthy weight, I still wasn't menstruating every month. During the time when I was the sickest and barely one hundred pounds I had stopped menstruating entirely. My cycle remained irregular and my doctor attributed it to my body fat which wasn't as high as it should be. I was entirely flabbergasted when I'd gone to the doctor for a routine check-up and he'd told me my blood work had confirmed a pregnancy. I was nearly eight weeks along and hadn't even known. I had been tired and feeling queasy, but it wasn't uncommon for me to miss a period or two so I didn't think much of it.

I knew Dimitri would be thrilled and I had been completely thrown off when he seemed agitated at first. I then realized that it was because he had planned to propose and the timing was very coincidental. I knew without a doubt that his proposal had nothing to do with the baby this time and had been itching for him to ask me for over a year now. I'd wanted to take things slow at first, but the last four years had been so wonderful that I didn't understand what he was waiting for. He admitted after he proposed that he hadn't wanted to spoil the bond we'd re-formed these past few years by forcing a commitment that I might not be ready for. I in turn assured him that I was more than ready and couldn't wait to be his wife.

Of course the entire family was thrilled at the news of our engagement.

"Roza and I have an announcement to make," Dimitri said getting everyone's attention. We had invited everyone out to dinner at our favorite restaurant in Novovibirsk. Everyone stared at us expectantly and Lissa practically squealed. DImitri had already told me that she helped pick out the ring.

"I asked Roza to marry me and this time she said yes!" Dimitri said holding up my hand so everyone could see my ring. Olena had tears in her eyes and if I wasn't mistaken so did Baba.

"Only took you eleven years to get her to say yes," Ivan teased.

"What can I say, I'm a persistent man," Dimitri said kissing my cheek.

"So when is the wedding?" Olena asked.

"I was thinking the first week in April," I said.

Lissa's eyes widened and I knew she was about the blow our secret.

"Oh my God, you're pregnant," she blurted out excitedly.

I wasn't surprised that she guessed, but a little annoyed that we had to make the announcement so early.

"Yes, Rose and I are going to have a baby," Dimitri spoke up, clasping my hand in his. I looked over at Baba to gage his reaction. He just smiled and nodded his head in our direction. I guess your twenty-eight year old daughter getting knocked up is a little different than it was at seventeen.

"This is so exciting!" Viktoria cried jumping out of her seat rushing over to embrace us tightly.

"We were going to wait to tell, but I guess now is as good of time as any. Nikolai and I are expecting too!" she said smiling widely.

"I feel so very blessed today," Olena said wiping the tears from her eyes as we all congratulated Vika and Koyla on their good news.

**What did you think of the proposal? Not exactly the romantic one he had planned, but still good right? Next epilogue will be the wedding and if you're really lucky I'll do one for the birth=) Leave me some love.**


	27. Epilogue 2: It's a Wonderful Life

**Epilogue 2: It's a Wonderful Life**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

RPOV

"Are you nervous?" Lissa asked. Here we were standing in the exact same place we were eleven years ago, me in my white dress and Lissa wearing red. It was sort of ironic that way. Last time we were in this room, I was nervous, unhappy and pregnant. Thankfully this time only one of those was true and at least this time I'd been able to choose my own dress.

I smiled as I patted my slightly rounded almost noticeable bump. I was nearly sixteen weeks and beginning to show. Luckily for me Lissa was a master of fashion and found a dress that would minimize my rapidly thickening waistline.

"Nervous no, nauseous yes," I said popping the top on a can of Seven-up. I loved Dimitri far too much to be nervous about spending the rest of my life with him.

"So you and Sparky ever think or having little fireballs?" I asked.

"I don't know. The whole idea of it freaks me out," she said.

"Liss, what happened to us was one in a million. I was worried about that for a long time, but Alexandr was sick. We just didn't know it. Technology today couldn't have detected his condition. He had no symptoms until that night." I said placing my hand on her shoulder.

It had taken me a long time to realize that our son's death was inevitable. The condition he had would have progressed with little way to treat it. He wouldn't have lived more than a few years at best and it would have been in and out of hospitals and on and off radical treatments. I wouldn't have wanted him to live that way. The seven months he lived on Earth had been normal. He had been a happy baby and one that was loved dearly and that was what mattered. I didn't blame her for being cautious, but she couldn't live her life in fear. It wasn't healthy. That was something else I'd learned in my years of therapy and healing.

"I know. I just saw what it did to you and to Dimitri and I love Christian so much. I don't want anything to change between us. Having a baby changes everything."

"You're right. It does, but not in a bad way," I said taking a seat on the small sofa patting the cushion next to me.

"It took you guys eleven years to get it right," she argued.

"No, we got it right the first time One of us was just too stubborn to see it."

"But I was there that day. You didn't want to marry him. You cried all day. You were so unhappy Rose even after Alexandr was born."

"I was scared," I said my voice trembling.

"What?"

"I was scared at the wedding. It wasn't that I didn't love Dimitri. I was seventeen and pregnant. I didn't know what was going to happen or how I was going to handle my life. You're twenty-eight Liss and already married. You have a nice house, a good job and a man who loves you. Having Dimitri's baby was the best thing that ever happened to me. Alexandr bonded us. I think he was the reason neither of us could ever truly move on. He's the reason we're here today expecting his little brother or sister. Those seven months we spent as a family were some of the best times of my life. I just couldn't see it until I lost everything."

"So if you could go back and do it again, you'd still make the same choices?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I would have done one thing differently," I said.

"What?" she asked eager to hear my response.

"I would have stayed," I said a tear slipping silently down my cheek. I would have stayed with Dimitri when things became rough. We could have consoled each other and moved forward with our lives together." That was the one thing I would always regret. We'd spent so much time alone and in pain and that was my fault.

Before she could say anything else my father interrupted us.

"Are you ready to go little girl?" he asked smiling at me brightly.

I nodded dabbing my eyes with his hankerchief.

"Let's do this," I said. I was more than ready to start my life with the man I loved.

DPOV

"Dude, relax, you're like a live wire. She's going to be here," Ivan assured me.

"How are you so sure? What if she changed her mind?" I asked running my fingers through my hair.

"She's not going to change her mind. She is so in love with you," he said making kissing noises with his lips.

"I know, it's just that things have been good, too good. Nothing ever goes that well for me. Something always happens," I said continuing to pace a hole in the floor of the church.

"Not this time buddy. This time luck is on your side," he said pointing me towards the door. Lissa was standing at the door smiling as the music began to play.

My breath hitched in my throat as she appeared in front of me. An angel dressed in white floating towards me. Her eyes met mine and in that moment, I could see our future. I could see the birth of our baby, our first Christmas back together in our house, our first wedding anniversary and so much more. The love that radiated from her left me awestruck.

"Dimitri," her voice startled me out of my reverie.

She looked at me and I got lost in the depths of her eyes. The priest clearing his throat brought me back to reality.

I could barely focus on his words her beauty was so distracting. I couldn't believe we were here in the same place we'd stood before only this time when she pledged her love for me she was happy, her lips curving into a dazzling smile as she repeated her lines.

"Dimitri, it's your turn," she hissed and I realized I'd missed my cue. Everyone in the congregation laughed, but I didn't care. All that mattered to me was her and the fact that she was here, not because Abe forced her hand, but because she was giving herself to me.

When our lips met to affirm our commitment my hands instinctively wrapped around her waist holding her close enough to feel the swell of her belly against me.

"Today is the best day of my life," I whispered against her neck before pulling away to greet our friends and family.

RPOV

"Are you enjoying yourself Milaya?" Dimitri asked as he held me in his arms, the both of us swaying in sync as we had our first dance, something I'd refused to do at our first wedding.

"Mmm," I murmured snuggling my face into his chest as we continued to dance.

This time I wanted to enjoy every minute of our wedding because as far as I was concerned today was the first day of the rest of our lives and I wanted to make sure it started out right this time. So we smashed wedding cake in each other's faces. I tossed the bouquet and we celebrated with family and good friends until the wee hours of the morning. When it was over, Dimitri drove us back to our house, only this time the sight of it made me happy instead of distraught.

"Wait wait, don't go in yet," Dimitri called as we made our way up the front walk.

"What why not?" I asked in confusion.

"You know it's tradition for the groom to carry his bride over the threshold," he smirked before lifting me into his arms.

I wrapped my arms around his neck allowing him his silly tradition.

"What is all this?" I gasped as he set me down in the living room.

"Well I know you were never thrilled with the house so I had a few adjustments made while we were living in the apartment," he said.

"This is definitely not a few adjustments," I said scanning the room. The walls had been freshly painted, new hardwood floors installed, the kitchen expanded with all new appliances and tile and new furniture in the living room. My eyes came to rest on something I thought I'd never see again.

"My clock," I whispered. It was the clock I'd seen all those years ago in the antique shop. It stood glorious in all its splendor just the way I remembered it.

"It was one hard clock to track down. It took me nearly eight years to find it and the owner was reluctant to part with it, but when I explained the significance, she was taken with our story and agreed to part with it for a hefty sum."

"Eight years?" I gasped. "But we weren't together eight years ago."

He shrugged. "A part of me knew that someday you'd come back to me. Thankfully I was right or I'd be stuck with this thing that reminded me of you," he joked good naturedly.

"I can't believe you did that for me back then, when I treated you so poorly," I said ashamed of myself once again.

"Look at me Roza," he commanded lifting my chin with his hand. "The past is the past and we've both learned from it. I'd like to think that we're better people because of it. Let's not dwell on what could have been and focus on our future. I have it on good authority that it's going to turn out to be better than anything we ever could have imagined." He drew me close kissing me softly.

"This place is definitely a lot bigger than it used to be," I commented as we continued a tour of the renovations.

"I had an edition put on with two extra bedrooms. This one is ours," he stated showing me into a large room with an attached bathroom. It was furnished with a beautiful King sized bed draped in red and gold. Photos of the two of us spanning our entire lives had been transferred to canvas adorned the walls. My breath hitched in my throat as I ran my hand over the photo that hung directly over our bed. It was the one of us with Alexandr that Dimitri had kept on the side of his mirror.

"Do you like it?" he asked hopefully.

"I love it," I said nodding as tears formed in my eyes.

"I also had the nursery done, but I wanted to wait for you to decide how to furnish it," he said taking my hand as he led me to the second bedroom. The walls were aqua with yellow duckies stenciled on to make it look like they were swimming. We had decided not to find out the sex of our baby so we could be surprised and so we could avoid doing a baby blue or baby pink nursery. That was really annoying.

"I didn't want to put him in Alexandr's room. I think that is best left as a study," he said knowing how difficult it would be for the both of us to be in the room that was laced with old memories.

"I think that was a good call Comrade," I said leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Would you like to relax a bit before bed?" he asked as I stood in the middle of our new bedroom.

"You know, a marriage isn't really legal until we consummate it," I said winking at him as I slowly unzipped the back of my dress allowing it to fall to the ground in a heap.

"I was hoping you'd say that," he said closing the distance beween us pulling me up against him tightly.

"Make me yours Comrade," I whispered pressing my lips to his.

This time as we made love, I didn't have to pretend that we had a wonderful life, for we were truly blessed and always bad been. Tomorrow we would wake up married, in love, in our new house, expecting a beautiful baby. What more could we ask for?

**Sorry it took a while, but I wanted it to be good. Was it? Baby Belikov on the way next Epilogue if you review=)**


	28. Epilogue: 3 Bundle of Joy

**Epilogue 3: Bundle of Joy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

**Absolutely no excuses for my laziness. Okay a few, but I won't go into detail. One of my biggest distractions though is Indigo Spell, which might I add is turning out to be fabulous. I haven't finished yet so don't spoil it for me. Enjoy=)**

RPOV

"Where is Dimitri going again?" Vika asked as we sat on the living room couch like two beached whales. I I was just about thirty-seven weeks and she was thirty-five.

"He's going to St. Petersburg to approve some new materials and meet with the head of the company."

"Does it bother you that he is gone a lot in the summer?" she asked. Generally he spent Monday through Thursday in Novosibirsk and came home late Thursday night leaving at the crack of dawn on Monday.

I shrugged. "We did spend a lot of time apart before remember." Him being gone three days a week was not ideal, but it was doable. We had decided to remain in the house all year this year getting things ready for the baby. After the birth, I would accompany him and we would all stay at the apartment in the summer, at least for the first few years until our baby was old enough to attend school. Then we would have to make a choice.

"When is he coming back?"

"He left this morning and he will be back on Friday, so I guess three days or so," I said flipping the channel on the television.

"Are you getting nervous?" I asked her. This wasn't my first time giving birth, but I was definitely not looking forward to the pain.

"A little," she admitted. "Koyla is worse. He is so anxious. He's been watching birthing videos and reading books. It's really cute," she said smiling as she spoke of her husband.

I laughed a little. "It's funny how the men get so worked up when we're the ones doing all the work."

"How are you feeling?" she asked. "Dimka told me you guys were having a rough time for a while," she said.

"Everything is going well. Our doctor was concerned because I didn't gain enough weight in my second trimester, but I've pretty much caught up," I said. In truth it was more than a bump in the road. Dimitri had freaked out big time at my thirty week check up when the doctor noted that I'd lost two pounds. Dimitri had accused me of putting our baby's life in danger and I'd been hurt and had lashed out at him because he didn't trust me. It had caused a huge rift between us and things had gotten pretty bad for a while. Of course we'd eventually made up and our therapist had read us the riot act for not communicating, which was of course the biggest problem in our relationship. Always had been always would be, I surmised.

"I was supposed to gain at least eighteen pounds by this week and right now I'm at seventeen and a half which is perfectly acceptable," I explained.

I had figured out where Dimitri kept the scale and had weighed myself just after he left this morning. He was adamant that I only weigh myself once a week. Any more than that and he was afraid I would go back to my old habits. It was hard to see the scale go up so much even though I knew it had to so that our baby was growing strong and healthy. The weight loss hadn't had anything to do with my disorder though. My blood pressure had spiked causing intense nausea and a lot of vomiting. They'd given me a shot of something to help my blood pressure go down and I'd been taking it easy ever since.

I could understand why Dimitri had been so quick to jump to conclusions. It was uncommon to have nausea and vomiting at the end of the second trimester especially because I hadn't really experienced too much morning sickness with either of my pregnancies. The first time he heard me in the bathroom, I could tell he was nervous, but he didn't say anything, but it persisted and the third night after dinner, he blew his top. He'd taken me straight to the doctor and told her I'd been purging.

_**Flashback**_

"_**You promised Roza," he said shaking his head as I lay with my head on the toilet seat. I was dizzy and hadn't been able to keep anything down in three days. **_

"_**It isn't that," I managed weakly despite the ringing in my ears. "I don't feel good," I protested. **_

"_**How could you endanger our baby's life like this?" he demanded pulling me into a sitting position.**_

"_**I swear it isn't that," I cried tears stinging my eyes. "Why don't you believe me?" **_

"_**Because I've seen it before," he said shaking his head sadly. "You aren't eating and when you do, you don't keep it down, you've been weak and tired and I know you've been weighing yourself every day," he accused. "It's just like before." **_

"_**It isn't like before. I don't feel well. I would never put our baby in danger. You know that," I insisted, pleading with him to believe me. **_

_**He shook his head again. "No Roza, you are sick and I am taking you to the hospital before it gets any worse," he replied lifting me up into his arms. I knew it was useless to argue with him. **_

_**End Flashback**_

"Dimitri didn't want to leave this morning. I had to shove him out the door," I said laughing a little.

"So have you thought about names?" she asked flipping the channel on the television.

"A little, but we aren't settled on anything yet," I said.

Vika stayed until Olena came over with dinner for a hundred. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head at the sight of the huge meal she had cooked and carted over here just for me.

"Dimka said you weren't up for cooking and to make sure you were well fed," she explained as she heated up some of the casserole and borsht she'd brought. She placed a generous helping onto two plates and added some black bread with butter before sitting down at the table across from me.

"Dimka must be so anxious being away from you right now," she mused smiling knowingly as my phone buzzed incessantly with texts asking me if I was feeling alright and if Olena had arrived with dinner yet.

"He certainly is," I said patting my full belly. "He's been bothering me all day with texts and facetime." I was about one text away from chucking my phone out the window. This was his usual routine when he went out of town. When he was in Novosibirsk he was slightly more relaxed because he was only a car ride away.

"He's just excited and doesn't want to miss anything," she assured me placing her hand over mine.

"I know," I said remembering how overprotective he'd become shortly before Alexandr was born.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Are you sure you're comfortable?" he asked as he fluffed my pillows for the third time. **_

"_**I'm fine," I snapped swatting him away from me. He had been hovering around me all day and night even taking the day off work just in case I went into labor. My due date had been yesterday and he was sure I was going to pop any second. I wanted to tell him that the only thing that was going to pop was his nose when I punched him in the face.**_

"_**You know a watched pot never boils," I muttered trying to ignore his blatant staring. We sat in blissful silence watching an old movie and I was just about asleep when he spoke again.**_

"_**Are you sure you don't feel any pain? This isn't normal is it? You were due yesterday. Shouldn't it have happened by now?" **_

"_**That's it," I growled doing my best to hoist myself off the couch.  
"Where are you going?" he asked. **_

"_**To Lissa's," I said slipping on my shoes. **_

"_**Rose, you can't drive, not in your condition," he said taking the keys off the hook before I could get my hands on them. **_

"_**The only condition I'm in is a rage because my husband won't leave me alone," I hissed pulling on my winter coat which barely zipped over my ginormous belly. **_

"_**Roza, please, I promise I will be quiet if you come back and sit down with me," he bargained. **_

"_**One word and I'm gone," I warned allowing him to help me get my coat off and lead me back to the couch.**_

"_**I promise," he said sitting back against the arm of the couch cradling me against his chest. I took a deep cleansing breath and focused my attention back on the television. **_

End Flashback

After Olena left, Dimitri called one last time to make sure I was okay before I went to bed. I was utterly exhausted by the time I climbed beneath the sheets. The next day was much the same. Dimitri called and bugged me and Lissa came over to help with dinner. I did a little online baby shopping and called it a night. I was equally as exhausted and fell asleep the second my head hit the pillow.

I woke with a start, disoriented. My eyes were open and I scanned the room trying to figure out what had woken me. A glance at my phone said I hadn't received a call or a text and nothing seemed amiss so I curled up and tried to go back to sleep.

Just as I was drifting off a sharp pain shot through my abdomen and into my back. I lay there waiting to see if I felt it again. Ten minutes passed and nothing. I decided it was a fluke and closed my eyes again only to be awoken exactly two minutes later when another sharp pain riddled my body.

I decided that two pains warranted me investigating. It was probably just Braxton Hicks, but I decided to put on some clothes anyway just in case. Wouldn't it just be rotten luck that I'd go into labor while Dimitri was so far away? I stood up and as my feet hit the floor I recognized the familiar sensation of my water breaking.

"Holy crap!" I cried as water splashed all over my bare feet.

I cleaned myself up a little and reached for my phone. Dimitri was so going to flip out. It was over a four hour flight into Omsk and then another two hours by car and that is if he left right away. My contractions were only twelve minutes apart. There was no way he was going to make it in time for the birth.

I sighed dialing his number knowing that he was going to be really upset.

"Roza, what's going on? It's three in the morning," he said seemingly awake for this time of night.

"Don't panic. Everything is fine."

"Yes, because all good sentences start with don't panic," he said alarmed at my words.

"Tell me the truth," he demanded.

"It's not a big deal. I'm in labor. I'm calling Lissa to bring me to the hospital. Don't worry. We have plenty of time," I lied.

"How far apart are your contractions?" he asked. I could hear him shuffling around, probably getting dressed.

"Oh, I don't know twenty minutes or so," I said trying to make it sound better than it was.

"Roza," he growled.

"Okay okay, twelve minutes." I could hear him sigh on the other end. "And my water broke," I said wincing in anticipation of him freaking out.

"You're not bleeding?" he asked.

"No, definitely nothing unusual," I assured him.

"Okay, I'm on my way. Be careful and text me when you get to the hospital," he said sounding surprisingly less agitated than I expected.

"I promise Comrade."

"I love you Roza," he responded.

"Back at you," I said disconnecting before he could hear me cry. Truth was I was way more upset than I'd ever let on that he wasn't going to be here to hold my hand. I was terrified that something would go wrong. I did my best to pack some things into a bag before Lissa arrived, but it was futile. My contractions were coming faster now only eight minutes apart. This was not looking good. I wanted Dimitri here with me. I didn't want to do this alone. Lissa and Christian burst through the door a few minutes later.

"Are you okay?" Lissa asked.

"I'm fine. Let's go," I said bending down to pick up my bag.

"Oh my God," I cried clutching my belly again as a particularly painful contraction ripped through me yet again.

"Are we going to have time to get her to the hospital?" Christian asked nervously. He was white as a ghost and looked like he could faint at any time.

"I don't know. How many minutes apart are the contractions?" Lissa asked.

I glanced at the clock and scowled. "Four minutes," I said huffing in annoyance. This baby really wanted out of me.

She shook her head. "Sit down and let me see how dilated you are," she requested removing my pajama pants and underwear. Christian's eyes widened and turned around clearing his throat awkwardy.

"Don't fail me now Sparky. You're supposed to be good in a crisis!"

"This is not a crisis, this is a medical emergency. I'm a cop, not an doctor," he argued.

"Holy shit Rose, I can practically see the head," she cried.

"No, no no," I moaned. "Dimitri will never make it in time."

"Let's get her set up somewhere. There isn't time. I don't want to deliver a baby in the car. Get some clean towels, boil some water and call Olena," she ordered.

Christian did as he was told and they moved me from the couch to the den. "No I don't want to do this in here," I cried.

"Rose it has to be in here. I need to lay you out on the desk so I can work," she said apologetically. Christian cleared off the desk and helped her lay down towels and a pillow for my head.

"You don't by any chance have any pain killers in your purse do you?" I growled as the contractions were now coming right on top of each other.

"No, I'm sorry," she said tying her hair back and donning some rubber gloves.

"Wow this is really gross," Christian muttered.

"Hey, eyes up here Sparky," I cried.

My phone rang in my pocket and I knew it was Dimitri wondering why I hadn't texted him yet.

"Roza, what's going on? Are you at the hospital?" he asked.

"Slight change of plans Comrade. This baby wants out right now," I cried trying to breathe through the intense pain.

"What? Who's with you? Where are you?" he cried.

"In the den with Lissa and Christian," I huffed.

"Everything is fine Dimitri. It's happening too fast. I didn't want to risk her giving birth in the car. I called the clinic and they're sending an ambulance, but they're a half an hour out," Lissa explained.

"Get the IPAD," Dimitri demanded.

"What? Why? I'm kind of busy here," I groaned.

"Facetime," he said. "I'm not missing this."

Christian set up the computer and I could see Dimitri looking back at me anxiously.

"I'm so sorry I left you alone," he said.

"It's okay. It's not like you can do it for me," I joked trying to make light of the situation.

"I know, but I want to be there so badly with you," he said.

"I know Comrade, but this spawn of yours is not being very cooperative."He cracked a small smile as I continued to pant through the pain.

"Oh my God, Roza, what's going on?" Olena cried as she burst through the door.

"Not too much, just having a baby," I grunted.

"In the den?" she asked.  
"Happened too fast, couldn't make it to the hospital," I managed.

"Okay Rose, Are you ready to start pushing?" Lissa asked.

"Not like I have a choice right?"

"Okay on three," she said. "One, two, three."

I pushed as hard as I could gritting my teeth.

"Holy crap Rose, I think you just broke my hand," Christian cried as I squeezed his hand again and Olena's who was on the other side of me.

"Shut it Sparky or I swear to God, I'll kill you," I growled squeezing him harder.

"Okay Rose, you're doing so good, just one more big one," Lissa said.

"You're so strong Roza, you can do this. I love you so much," Dimitri encouraged.

I took a deep breath, let go of their hands so I could clutch the sides of the desk and gave it everything I had.

"Okay Rose, you're doing great. I've got her," Lissa said holding up a tiny squirming bundle of next thing I heard was the most beautiful sound in the world. Lissa tapped her lightly on the butt and she began to cry.

"It's a girl," Christian shouted out triumphantly.

"She's beautiful Roza, just like her mother," Dimitri said, tears in his eyes as he gazed at our daughter. Lissa cleaned her up and placed her on my chest. I felt entirely exhausted, but the sight of our precious little girl peering up at me with eyes that were only minutes old was enough to make me fight through the pain.

"Get on a plane Comrade," I said as I heard the wail of an ambulance in the distance.

**DPOV**

I had only been in bed a few minutes when my phone rang. Of course Rose would go into labor three weeks early on one of the three days of the year I was in St. Petersburg. If I'd been in Novosibirsk it would only have been a few hours in the car and I might have made it for the birth, but as luck would have it, I wouldn't have made it either way. It seems my daughter was as impatient as my wife.

It was only three hours from the time Rose woke up with contractions until our daughter was born and I ended up watching the entire thing on a bench outside the airport. Most women would kill to give birth that quickly, but I knew Rose was upset that I wasn't there and it couldn't have been pleasant giving birth on a desk in the den without any anesthetics.

"Sir, you have to wait your turn. I told you before, the next flight to Omsk isn't until five o'clock this evening ," the agent behind the desk reminded me.

Even though I had been able to watch our daughter being born via the internet, I was more than anxious to meet her in person. My mother assured me that shortly after Rose had given birth, the ambulance had arrived and they were both doing just fine at the hospital. She'd sent me constant updates and photos, but I wouldn't be at ease until I had them both in my arms.

After spending majority of the night and all day at the airport, my flight took off and I was restless the entire time. As I exited the terminal intent on renting a car, I saw a familiar face.

"Hey buddy, thought you could use a ride," Ivan said smiling at me.

I sighed in relief. I was way too edgy to make the drive myself and was thankful to have such a thoughtful friend.

"Congratulations man, she's going to be one hell of a heartbreaker," he said loading my luggage into the trunk.

"You held her?" I growled entirely jealous that I hadn't been able to do so.

He looked a little frightened. "Only for a minute. Lissa is a baby hog," he muttered. "Don't worry man, she's perfect."

The drive seemed to take years and when we finally arrived, I didn't even wait for the car to stop moving before jumping out and rushing into the hospital.

I skidded to a halt when I saw Rose sleeping peacefully. Lissa was sitting in the chair reading and Abe was sitting next to her holding our daughter in his arms. I walked over to the bed and bent down kissing Rose's cheek softly as not to wake her.

"She's exhausted. She wanted to wait for you, but she just couldn't. The doctor gave her some pain meds. She should be out for a while," Lissa explained.

"Thank you for everything," I said hugging her tightly. While it wasn't ideal to have a home birth, it was lucky that Lissa had spent a lot of time working on the maternity ward at the hospital these past few years. Her training had really come in handy.

I walked over to Abe and held out my arms. He smiled passing her over to me. Ivan had been right. She was absolutely perfect. She was six pounds seven ounces with a tiny mop of dark curls covering her head. She stirred briefly her eyes fluttering open. One look into her eyes was all it took for me to fall madly in love with her.

One by one our relatives stopped by and after they had all gone it was just my mother and I. I had been up for over thirty-six hours, but I wasn't going to give up a single moment of time with our precious girl so I could sleep.

"If you need anything Dimka, give me a call," she said kissing my cheek before leaving.

After a few hours, I decided that I was tired of sitting in the chair. I wanted to be close to Rose, so I let down the side of the bed and climbed in next to her snuggling up as close as the small bed would allow. I put one arm around her and instinctually she leaned her head so it rested on my shoulder.

"You made it," she whispered, her voice sleepy as she nuzzled her nose into my neck.

"There's nowhere I'd rather be," I said kissing the top of her head pulling her closer to me with one arm and holding our sleeping daughter in the other.

"She has your eyes," she said waking up a little more.

"And your hair," I teased.

"What are we going to call her?" she asked.

We had floated a few ideas out there, but we hadn't quite settled on any one particular name.

I shrugged. "It's up to you Milaya,"

"I was thinking Anastasia," she yawned stroking our daughter's soft curls.

"That is a beautiful name," I agreed.

"Anastasia Janine?" she asked asking permission to name our daughter after her mother.

"Of course Milaya."

One Year Later

RPOV

"Wake up Dimitri, wake up!" I poked and prodded my husband. He could be a real bear in the morning sometimes.

"What? What is it?" he asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"It's August 23rd," I said shaking him again.

"You woke me up to tell me the date?" he asked. I knew he was so tired having made the trip from Novosibirsk late last night, but damn it today was important.

"No silly, it's Stacey's first birthday. She's one today," I cried.

He shot out of bed at my revelation.

"She is," he said his face crinkling into a warm smile at the mention of our daughter.

"She's one. She's having a birthday," I cried bursting into tears.

"I know," he said cradling me in his arms. "It's wonderful."

I couldn't help but be so emotional. I'd been waiting all year for a catastrophe to strike, but nothing happened. Her one month, three month, six month and nine month check-ups had come and gone and she was in the seventieth percentile as far as weight went and she was in the ninety-fifth percentile for her height, which she had definitely inherited from her father. There were no unexpected trips to the emergency room, she hadn't eaten or drunken anything strange or poisonous and she hadn't been colicky. In fact as far as babies went, she was the cream of the crop. She was so quiet at night that sometimes I sat in her room next to her crib just to watch and make sure her chest was rising and falling as she took each breath. Knock on wood, she hadn't even been sick save for an ear infection and a tiny cold in the winter. Olena said we were very lucky because she was the exact opposite of Vika and Koyla's daughter Irena who fussed and cried non-stop all day and night.

"Let's go and get her," I said ready to spring out of bed.

"I think maybe we could let the birthday girl sleep in just a little and do a little celebrating of our own," Dimitri said raising his eyebrow at me suggestively.

"Let me just go and make sure she's okay and then I'm yours," I said winking. I hopped out of bed and peeked into the nursery where she was in fact dreaming peacefully in her crib, a smile on her chubby little face.

"Is she okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "Good, because I have been waiting all week to do some very naughty things to her mother," he said tugging at my nightgown until it came off.

"Your beauty never ceases to amaze me my love," he murmured standing behind me palming my breasts in his hands as his lips grazed my neck. As with my first pregnancy I had put on a few pounds, but this time it was in a good way and I was happy to show off the curves that showed that I was a mother.

"Are you happy Milaya?" he asked as we lay together in post coital bliss having spent the last hour enjoying each other.

"Very happy, why do you ask?"

"I just can't believe that life turned out so well for us. Sometimes it feels like that day was all a dream."

"What day?" I asked rolling over to face him.

"The only day that matters. The day you came back to me," he said pulling me close.

"This is where I was always meant to be," I said lifting my face so I could look into his eyes.

"Promise you'll never leave me again," he said.

"I wouldn't dream of it," I said placing my hand over his heart. "You have my heart and I would die without it. I nearly did, but you were there to bring me back."

I'd like to say that we went on and had a house full of babies like we wanted, but life doesn't always turn out the way you plan and we never were able to conceive again, but Anastasia was our pride and joy. Watching her grow into a beautiful young woman was far more than we ever could have asked for and although we were far from the perfect family, we were happy and that's all that mattered.

**That's All She Wrote! Sorry to say that this story has come to a close. I am taking a short break from writing as my real life has become very stressful as of late and I don't like to leave you guys hanging. Be assured that when things settle down I will be back with something new and exciting. I hope you will come back and read it when I do. I will post an alert on this story when I begin a new one. Thanks for all of your inspiration. Without it, I wouldn't have had the courage to begin writing my own novel. Please leave one last review for Home for the Holidays! **

**Until Next Time**

**~MadameRozaBelikova**


	29. Attention New Story Posted

Attention: New Story Posted

Hey I'm back.. sooner than I thought. The news of Blood Sisters I got excited and began to formulate a new story. I told you I couldn't stay away. I hope you will all check out my new story it is called Enigma. It is as always RoseXDimitri. It's a little twist on what could have happened if Rose had died at the end of Last Sacrifice.


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